The Legend of Zelda: A Hero's Blood
by Soulless1
Summary: Link... A counrty-boy in every sense of the word. But when the King's Emissary arrives in Ordon, everything changes. His blood will prove to be far more important than enyone could imagine. Working on other stories, may be slow in updating.
1. The Village Warrior

The Legend of Zelda: A Hero's Blood

**I do not own any rights to The Legend of Zelda**

Ordon… A small southern province of Hyrule. It was largely populated by

Farmers and Artisans, and because of this it earned a reputation with the northern provinces of Lanayru and Eldin. But as one might imagine, its reputation was largely centered on sword-smithing.

One person of that trade was the cause. His name was, Link Paramina Ordonis Hylia.

He was a tall strapping young lad with bright green eyes and shoulder length light-brown hair. Most of the locals admired him for many reasons, one of which was his skill with a hammer and a bar of steel. The local girls however, admired him for his strength… much to his displeasure of course… but the other side to that reason was the fact that he was next in line to become Mayor of Ordon.

For this reason, he spent days and nights inside of his forge, relentlessly beating swords out of steel and iron; one could almost imagine that he was attempting to beat the thought out of his own head.

But on mid-summer's eve, an emissary of the King came from the north; he bore with him, a proclamation.

"On May the 23rd, Castleton will host a Swordsmanship tournament to ascertain those who will become the next members of the Royal Guard." The bald man glanced around at the villagers, "This Village of Ordon is required to send three men to participate in the tournament, you may send more if you wish."

Link had been standing at the back of the crowd, and decided to make himself known, "And if we refuse to send any?"

The Emissary scowled, "Then we will take the three most capable men with us now."

A savage smirk formed on his face. He turned and retrieved a sword from a brining rack outside of his forge, "Take em' if you can!"

Nodding to a guard, the Emissary growled, "Well, you look like the exact type of lad we need."

The guard circled the crowd and grabbed at Link's arm. Link jerked out of his grasp and spun on his left foot, his sword flashed as it sailed in a smooth arc and caught the edge of the guard's weapon, "You need more training." With a quick flick of his wrist, the weapon sailed over the crowd's head and buried itself deeply in the trunk of a tree. The guard stepped back, the edge of the young man's sword pressed to his throat, "I'll only ask this once, leave now, or the King's Army is short one man."

With a sharp tug on the reigns the Emissary growled, "Very well boy, but mark my words, we'll be back… and you will be the first to go." As his horse turned he barked at the soldier in Link's grasp, "Come on Urienze."

The soldier scrambled out of Link's grasp and climbed onto his horse and galloped after the group.

Link twirled his sword on his fingertips and smirked, "Come back when you've trained some more Urienze!"

An old woman spoke, "Link my boy, you should not have done that."

"And why not? You know as well as I that they would've taken Cleon and Bryan… we need them here."

The old woman shook her head feebly, "No… they wouldn't, and you showed them right away that you were the perfect candidate."

Scoffing, Link turned and replaced the sword on the rack, "They could not make me serve… I owe the King no allegiance, and it's my duty to protect this village."

He disappeared into his forge and slammed the door.

**The Royal Castle of Hyrule**

"My Lord?" A small man wearing a red sash over his black robes leaned over the throne.

The King of Hyrule, a man of middle age with salt and pepper hair stirred in his sleep, "What is it Pryce?"

"The Emissary to Ordon has just returned… he requests and audience with you my Lord."

With a lazy gesture he grunted, "Send him in…"

The twin deku-wood doors swung in letting sunlight to slash into the dim hall. The Emissary marched in wearing a half-suit of armor.

He dropped to one knee and placed his left hand on his right shoulder, "Your Majesty."

"Rise Sir Leon de Grance."

Leon stood and scowled, "We have a problem, my Lord."

Glancing around the King acknowledged, "Where are the recruits?"

Leon de Grance's scowl deepened, "A boy by the name of Link threatened the life of Urienze if we did not leave Ordon."

The King leaned forward, "And you did…?"

"Yes… Urienze is mine nephew after all…"

"And what of this boy? How did he drive the presiding captain of Lanayru Province from Ordon?"

"His skill with a blade… even I have not seen such proficiency in my lifetime."

A grin spread across the King's aged face, "Who are his parents? Know you his lineage?"

Leon shook his head, "No… but there might be a record in the Archives."

With a clap of his hands, the King shouted, "PRYCE!"

The small Vizier raced into the room and bowed, "What is it you require my Lord?"

"Look in the Archives for bloodlines of Ordon… we have a boy with no name… I wish to see if his family has any service records to the Kingdom."

Pryce bowed again and bolted from the room shouting, "ARCHIVE MASTER THRUSTAN!"

**Faron Woods**

The light of the afternoon sun filtered through the trees and a light wind stirred the leaves.

Link scowled down at the corpse of a Bulbin as it burst into a cloud of black smoke. These creatures caused more trouble than they were worth.

Spinning it once by the hilt, Link sheathed his sword, "What to do today?" He sighed to the deku forest.

He turned towards the sound of leaves crunching underfoot. Link's best friend Cielia trotted toward him waiving, "Link!"

Link grinned and walked toward her, "Hello Cielia, what are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you!" She huffed, "Mayor Kayrin asked me to find you."

"What for?"

"He says that more of the King's messengers have been spotted coming up the Greenway…"

Gritting his teeth Link drew his sword, "Let's go."

Back in the Village, most of its residents were gathered in the square as before. The Mayor stepped toward him smirking, "Looks like you've got your wish Link… The King's Emissary has returned."

A large chestnut horse with a black mane stopped just beyond the Village gate.

"Who among you bears the name, Link Paramina Ordinis Hylia?" Shouted a large wide-shouldered man with long black hair and beard.

Link stepped forward and growled, "Who wants to know?"

The messenger's black eyes fixed on the youth, "I am Rusl Bergon, Captain of the Guard of Hyrule… and you are coming with me."

Link folded his arms, "Is that so?"

"Aye."

"I suppose you have come to take me to the tournament training grounds?"

Rusl smirked, "Nay… The King wishes to speak to you personally."

Link kept his gaze locked with the Captain's, "I owe no allegiance to the King… and I will not leave this Village unguarded to go gallivanting across Hyrule Field to meet with someone I do not respect."

Rusl reached into the front of his tunic and withdrew a parchment scroll, "You owe him more than you know boy… Here take a look." He tossed the parchment to Link.

It was bound with a blood-red ribbon and closed with the King's Seal.

Link unrolled it and examined its contents.

The scroll contained the Bloodline of the Royal Family of Hyrule, from Pharos Reagan Hylia the First King, to the 35th and current King Largos Harkinian.

Half-way down the scroll, Link spotted his own name circled with red ink.

Glancing between the scroll and the Captain, Link stuttered, "But..h-how… t-this is… THERE IS NO WAY THIS IS TRUE!"

Link tossed the scroll aside, "Who wrote this lie?"

Rusl smirked, "You would deny your own blood?"

"I DENY THIS RUBBISH!" His roars echoed in the forests surrounding the village.

Rusl's smile widened, "You are an amusing creature… The King requests you to come with us to the Castle for one week… just to formalize your ties to the Royal Family you know…"

"The only reason the King wants me there is because of this lie! I will not go there to subjugate myself! The King is an old fool with nothing but his immense wealth on his mind! And Princess Zelda… No… I won't say anything about her… she hasn't got anything to do with this."

Rusl urged his horse closer to the boy, "What's the matter? Like the Princess do you?"

Link's visage hardened, "N-no I… Every boy in the Kingdom likes her… Just look at her!"

"Ah… so it is that you like her? Fancy that, and she is your eleventh cousin to boot."

Link's fists tightened, "What of it?"

Rusl drew another piece of parchment, "This is a letter written by the King himself, read it if you please."

Link snatched it and ripped it open.

_Link-_

_ I know that our relation, no matter how distant, may come as a shock to you… I ask only that you return with these guards to the Castle. As you are also a direct descendant of the First King, you are also a legitimate heir to the throne. I would also like to apologize for Captain Leon de Grance's behavior upon his first visit to Ordon, his nephew Urienze now holds his uncle's place as Captain of Lanayru Province's Calvary… I beg you to return with these guards, your cousin Zelda also wishes you to come… She wishes to meet you, I daresay she will be pleased to know that there is someone else her own age I will allow her to speak to. Your accommodations will be arranged upon your arrival._

_On another note, eight of the guards are to be stationed in Ordon to protect it in your absence. I hope you will consider this request, I bear you no ill will as to your earlier behavior nor will I if you refuse…_

_ Yours in Blood,_

_ King Largos Harkinian_

Link looked up from the letter with a resentful look, "Alright… I'll go to the Castle… How in the name of Din do I get myself into these messes?"

He held a worn leathern satchel in his left hand as he placed a few of his belongings inside.

_Great… the Princess has invited me to the Castle… I don't want to go, but if I refuse, the villagers won't let me live it down._

As he stepped out into the village square, he lifted a small blue flute to his lips and blew a few haunting notes.

One of the guards stared for a moment then asked, "What are you doing?"

Link smirked, "Calling my horse."

When the knight gave a questioning glance Link explained, "When I was ten I met a young pony in the forest, I tried and tried to get the beast to come near, but nothing worked… at least until I sat down to play a song on my ocarina, and ever since Epona will come running whenever I play that tune."

As he finished, a large chestnut-brown mare galloped out of the forest to the north.

Link turned and smiled broadly at the beast as it drew near.

"Epona! Where in blue blazes have you been?" His left hand curled around a few of the hairs in Epona's mane, "Ah… in the Goran Forest again I see… you know you're not supposed to be there!"

Epona tossed her head as if she were saying, "Whatever two-legs, at least I'm not a reckless oaf."

Link slung his pack onto Epona's saddle and hauled himself up after it.

"Let's be off… I want to get this over with as quickly as possible."

**Hyrule Castle Gardens**

Her eyes fluttered closed as she breathed the light scent of the violet rose. This was her favorite place to think, nothing could bother her here. At least that's what she thought… only three hours ago, her father had informed her of a boy named Link in the Ordon Province.

"_Zelda my dear… I have some wonderful news." The King sat in his golden throne with a large smile on his face._

"_What is it Father?"_

_The King's fingers gripped the arms of the throne, "I have just learned that our family reaches farther across this kingdom than I could have possible imagined."_

_At her questioning glance the King stood and placed his hands on her shoulders, "The Village of Ordon… you remember it from your studies?"_

_She nodded._

"_There is a young man named Link living there… he… is far more important than any of us could have thought."_

"_What's wrong? Has he done something wrong?"_

_Largos waived his hand, "Nay my dear… I have just learned that he is a descendant of the First King… he is your eleventh cousin."_

That came as quite a shock. A boy living in the southern forests… shares Royal Blood.

Questions ran through her head like a river.

How old is he?

Who were his parents?

Did he know of his ties to the Royal Family?

Her fingers curled around the stem of another rose and drew it closer to her face.

If and when he came to the Castle, she would be sure to get to know this mysterious cousin of hers.

**Faron Woods – 35 Miles south of Castleton**

Rusl reigned his horse to match stride with Link's.

"Boy…"

Link turned his gaze from the deku trees along the path, "Yes?"

"There are rumors…" He nodded at the sword strapped to Link's back, "…That you are quite the swordsman."

His eyes narrowed at the Captain of the Guard, "Yeah… what of it?"

Rusl grinned, "How about a sparring match?"

Thoroughly taken aback, Link glanced at the sky, "But… we'll be at the castle soon…"

"No need to worry, we aren't going to continue travelling after nightfall, it's far too dangerous what with the Stalfos and Phantoms that roam the field."

"But where are we going to make camp?"

Rusl drew his sword and pointed at a group of Linden trees ahead of them, "There, it's fairly well protected from most creatures, Linden trees collect forest energy and produce a powerful protective field."

Link frowned, "So… you believe in magic?"

"Of course… you've had to have seen some form of it before."

Rolling his eyes and glancing at the trees, Link snapped the reigns, "HYAH!"

Epona quickened her pace in the direction of the trees. _This is going to be a long Journey._

* * *

><p><strong>There we go! I don't even know why I posted another story... I'm working on two others right now. But I had to write this down before it faded from my memory.<strong>

**Read Well!**

**Soulless1 a.k.a Stephen.**


	2. Heritage

**Sorry for the wait! I've been working on a project for 'The Fundamentals of Public Speech 116" and I can tell you, it's a PAIN IN THE ASS!**

**Anyway, enough about me... Here is Chapter two!**

**Enjoy!**

The next morning, Link and Rusl stood opposite each other, their swords drawn.

"Who's going first?" The captain questioned.

Link grinned and lifted his sword slightly, causing the morning sunlight to reflect onto the tents, "After you."

"Ladies first."

Letting loose a raw battle cry, Link jumped into the air in his classic Jump-Strike. Rusl rolled sideways, and watched as the boy's sword struck the ground and unleashed a wave of white and yellow sparks into the air.

"What was that?" Rusl's jaw hung open.

A wide grin on his face, Link flourished his sword and pointed it at Rusl, "Jump-Strike… my father invented it

"So we're dealing with magical attacks huh?" Rusl grinned and ran his left index finger up the flat of his blade chanting, "Edge of Life, I name thee now, Eversharp." A line of green runes etched into the blade began glowing. Rusl crouched and ran at Link.

Thinking quickly, he jumped and swung down, catching Rusl's sword before it cut his feet off.

"Very good Boy… very few have been able to dodge that attack."

Link sheathed his sword and folded his arms on his chest, "Are you quite done?"

"Very well, we'll resume our little match when we've reached the castle."

**Hyrule Castle Gardens**

A fresh western breeze poured in through the windows. Zelda sat on her bed reading several scrolls recording the Royal Bloodline. Each one was from a different era… but none showed the line belonging to this boy.  
>her eyes trailed down the list, taking in the names of each monarch who had sat upon the golden throne.<p>

_Pharos Reagan Hylia (838 – 757 B.I.W)_

_Iglos Meadur Hylia (838 – 690 B.I.W)_

_Bergon Irmak Hylia (710 - 598 B.I.W.)_

_Hannah Jewel Hylia (650 - 515 B.I.W.)_

_Elirian Thelduin Hylia (543 – 443 B.I.W.)_

_Izuna De Grance Hylia (501 - 400 B.I.W.)_

_Leon Fildan Hylia (475 - 384 B.I.W.)_

_Leos Vuldan Hylia (475 - 308 B.I.W.)_

_Bergon Teragun Harkinian (324 – 245 B.I.W.)_

_Daphnes Nohansen Hylia (245 B.I.W. – 125 A.I.W.)_

_Daltus Jeran Hylia (150 – 200 A.I.W.)_

_Ilirian Morthos Hylia (175 – 280 A.I.W.)_

_Largos Huran Harkinian (250 - ? A.I.W.)_

As her eyes rested upon the name of her own father an idea formed.

_Didn't these kings have brothers? If so, then where would they be listed?_

She picked up a larger scroll. It's red wax seal still sat unbroken.

Upon it's outer surface two words were printed, _Numerum Annorum_.

"The Tale of Years."

"Indeed… I have often searched for that document, I never expected you would find it before me."

She turned to see her father standing in the doorway.

"Since you were the one to find it, I think it would only be fair that you should read it." His arms crossed over his chest and his lips drawn back in a warm smile, "I had hoped to read our family's history to you as a little girl... but I could never find it." He sat upon the bed next to her and drew her into a hug, "You are the most precious thing to me... my little girl." The King placed a soft kiss upon her brow and said, "Now... let's see here."

Placing his fingers on either side of the seal, the wax cracked down its length.

Zelda unrolled the yellowed parchment, a thin spidery script outlined the story of the Royal Family.

_Within these pages, I record the bloodline of The Royal House of Hylia. As Royal Vizier, I have watched the Prince and Princess grow and learn of their heritage, and of their duty._  
><em>I love them as I would my own, for that is another duty of my office.<em>  
><em>Their ancestors did much for this Kingdom, and so I shall do mine best to retell that tale for them.<em>

_838 B.I.W. Pharos Hylia is crowned King of the fledgling nation of Hyrule. He takes Eldred Wynn as his queen. She bears him two sons, Iglos Meadur Hylia and Izuna Ordonis Hylia._

_757 B.I.W. King Pharos Hylia dies at the age of 81. His eldest son, Iglos Hylia is crowned the next King of Hyrule._

_730 . A feud arises between the King and his younger brother Izuna, over a young peasant girl named Kreya Hegan. Izuna is banished to the southern reaches of the Kingdom. Kreya is sent into exile with him, upon her refusal to marry the King._

_726 B.I.W. Izuna founds the southern province of Ordon, and begins making peace with his brother._

_716 B.I.W. Iglos Meadur Hylia marries Yvonna Hvedra of the Noble Family of Hvedra. Iglos sends an emissary to Ordon to invite Izuna to the marriage ceremony. Izuna accepts and attends his brother's marriage. Kreya bears Izuna a son and a daughter. Kayrin Morgos Hylia and Helia Rosa Hylia._

_710 B.I.W. Queen Yvonna bears King Iglos a single son; he is named Bergon Irmak Hylia. King Iglos opens peace negotiations with the eastern kingdom of Termina._

_695 B.I.W. Termina sends an emissary to Castleton with King Ilgos Du Ikana's daughter, Princess Revan. Marriage is arranged between Bergon and Revan._

_692 B.I.W. Prince Bergon Irmak Hylia and Princess Revan Du Ikana are wed. Termina and Hyrule enter their first alliance against the southern nation of Brigandia._

_691 B.I.W. King Iglos Hylia falls ill; his son Bergon takes his throne as Regent._

_690 B.I.W. King Iglos Meadur Hylia dies of his illness. Bergon Irmak Hylia is crowned King._

_685 B.I.W. Izuna Ordonis Hylia passes away at the age of 153._

_650 B.I.W. King Bergon Hylia declares war on Brigandia. His wife Revan bears him a son and a daughter, Telmir Harkinian Hylia and Hannah Vraen Hylia. Telmir is born weak. Turgon, The King's Royal Vizier predicts the boy will not live to the age of 13._

_641 B.I.W. Telmir Harkinian Hylia dies of an unknown illness. His cousin Kayrin Morgos Hylia offers to wed Hannah in order to unite the Royal Bloodline. His offer is refused._

_635 B.I.W. Kayrin weds Lea Urian. His sister Helia moves south to Termina._

_630 B.I.W. Lea bears Kayrin a son; he is named Izuna Hakan Hylia._

_620 B.I.W. Izuna is asked by the Sage's Council to forge a sword. The weapon is enchanted by each Sage. The sword is christened 'The Master Sword'._

_600 B.I.W. The Master Sword is hidden. The Sages foretell a darkness will soon envelop the Kingdom._

_598 B.I.W. King Bergon Irmak Hylia dies of old age at 110. His Daughter Hannah Vraen Hylia takes the throne as the first Ruling Queen._

_570 B.I.W. Ordon is lost to Brigandian siege. Izuna Ordonis Hylia's line is lost from all records._

_560 B.I.W. Hannah marries Prince Uryu Haldin Elrohir of Regalia to the west. Uryu begins sending his troops to reinforce the borders of the remaining five provinces against further attack by Brigandian raiders._

_543 B.I.W. Hannah produces two heirs, a boy and a girl, Elirian Thelduin Hylia and Elda Rosa Hylia._

_530 B.I.W. Elirian runs away from the castle to the southernmost reaches of the Lanayru Province. He takes the heirlooms of Pharos Hylia, a sword and a shield._

_528 B.I.W. Uryu rides through the Village of Kakariko in search of his son. Elirian learns of his father's search and flees southward into the Faron Province._

_527 B.I.W. Elirian discovers the remains of a Regalian Temple in an unmapped section of the forest. Inside he learns of the Master Sword, and begins to seek it out._

_526 B.I.W. Uryu returns to the castle and despairs of ever finding his son. Elirian infiltrates Ordon in search of the Master Sword._

_524 B.I.W. Elirian meets with the Mayor of Ordon. He begins to suspect that the Mayoral Household is of Izuna Hylia's Bloodline._

_522 B.I.W. Uryu receives word from Faron Village that Elirian was sighted in Ordon Forest. A great search-party is sent to investigate._

_519 B.I.W. Elirian locates the Sage of The Forest, and receives a map that will lead him to the Master Sword's resting-place._

_518 B.I.W. Uryu sights Elirian in Faron Woods. Elirian tells his father, "I shall return when this Kingdom is safe."_

_517 B.I.W. Uryu returns to the Castle, and tells Hannah that their son has refused the Crown. The Princess of Hyrule is renamed the heir to the Throne._

_515 B.I.W. Hannah Vraen Hylia passes at the age of 83. Her husband takes the Throne as King._

_510 B.I.W. Uryu Haldin Elrohir passes at the age of 91. The Crown passes to Elda Rosa Hylia, but she refuses. The Crown is left upon the Throne to await the next true heir._

_509 B.I.W. Elirian enters the Temple of Time in The Mountain Province to the north. There he recovers the Master Sword._

_507 B.I.W. Elirian returns to the Castle. He questions the Royal Vizier about his sister's location. The Vizier tells him that nothing is known, "She said that she was going south."_

_506 B.I.W. Elirian locates his sister in Ordon. She says that the Crown is his, and tells him that she has already instructed the Vizier to crown him upon his return._

_505 B.I.W. Elirian claims the Crown. He marries Lilianna De Grance._

_501 B.I.W. Lilianna De Grance produces a boy. The boy is named Izuna De Grance Hylia._

_480 B.I.W. Elirian Thelduin Hylia relinquishes the Throne to his Son. The Master Sword and Mirror Shield are passed to Izuna. The Sword of Heaven's Light is placed in Pharos Hylia's Tomb._

_475 B.I.W. Izuna De Grance leads three armies into Ordon and expels the Brigandian Occupation Army. Izuna weds Valieri Veran of Ordon Village. She produces twin boys, Leos Vuldan Hylia and Leon Fildan Hylia._

_443 B.I.W. Elirian Thelduin Hylia passes at 100 years of age. His body is placed in The Forest Temple (The Re-named Regalian Temple)._

_430 B.I.W. The Sage of Shadow betrays the council and begins training the Sheikah Tribe to use Shadow Magic. King Izuna uses the Master Sword to seal the Shadow Sage inside of The Shadow Temple._

_429 B.I.W. Dakahn, Lord of The Sheikah Tribe, challenges the King to a Sorcerer's Duel. The King accepts, then demands that the battle be held on The Bridge of Eldin. Dakahn accepts._

_428 B.I.W. King Izuna wins and demands that the Sheikah Tribe become the Personal Guard of The Royal Family._

_415 B.I.W. The Mayor of Ordon sends an emissary with a gift for the Royal Family. The Gift is a sword forged with the Royal Seal engraved on the Blade. The King accepts it and names it 'Folias' in the ancient Hylian language._

_408 B.I.W. Izuna places the Master Sword in a stone pedestal, and tells his sons, "If one of you can free this sword from this stone, I shall name you my heir."_  
><em>Leos tries and fails to free the blade, but his brother Leon pulls the blade free.<em>

_400 B.I.W. Izuna De Grance Hylia passes at 101 years of age. His son Leon is named King._

_390 B.I.W. King Leon sends a Treaty of Peace to the King of Brigandia. The Treaty is rejected._

_387 B.I.W. Leon declares War on Brigandia after The Royal Vizier is captured. Leos is given command of Hyrule's forces._

_385 B.I.W. The Battle of Faron Forest. King Leon is wounded by an arrow, he is taken back to the Castle where his wounds were treated._

_384 B.I.W. Leon Fildan Hylia dies of his wounds, He is succeeded by his brother Leos. Leos names his brother 'Leon The Lionheart' in honor of his brother's courage._

_380 B.I.W. Leos carries the Master Sword into battle and slays Jarak Yorgelson, King of Brigandia. The War of Lost Souls ends._

_340 B.I.W. Leos weds Juliana Olan Huran. Leos places the Master Sword in the Temple of Time, declaring, "Here I set it... until the time when it is needed again._

_338 B.I.W. Juliana produces a boy. The boy is named Bergon Teragun Harkinian, in honor of Juliana's grandfather._

_330 B.I.W. Bergon displays an unusual amount of magical power during his lessons. His father assumes that Bergon has inherited Iglos Meadur Hylia's magical abilities._

_315 B.I.W. King Leos relinguishes the throne to his son, and relocates to Ordon Village._

_300 B.I.W. A man in a black cloak arrives from the Haunted Wasteland to the west, and introduces himself as Ganondorf King of the Gerudo Thieves. He proposes peace, in exchange for full dominion over the Desert Province._

_290 B.I.W. The offer of peace is rejected. The Gerudo King returns to the Desert._

_285 B.I.W. Bergon weds Zelda Remaj Huran, his mother's third cousin._

_247 B.I.W. Zelda produces a son, he is named Daphnes Nohansen Hylia._

_245 B.I.W. Bergon Teragun Harkinian dies of an illness. Daphnes Nohansen Hylia is named King._

_150 B.I.W. Ganondorf returns from the desert and reasserts his offer of peace. Daphnes accepts._

_100 B.I.W. Daphnes Hylia weds Arianna Ulia Wynn._

_17 B.I.W. Arianna produces a girl. She is named Zelda Jewel Hylia in honor of Daphnes mother._

_7 B.I.W. Ganondorf declares war on Hyrule. Zelda meets with a boy named Link, from the Kokiri Forest. Link sets out to collect the two remaining Spiritual Stones from the Gorons and the Zoras. Zelda gives Link the Ocarina of Time as she flees from the Castle. Link proceeds to the Temple of Time, and claims the Master Sword._

_7 A.I.W. Link awakens as the Hero of Time. He begins to systematically awaken each of the Six Sages._

_9 A.I.W. Link and Zelda defeat Ganondorf, and seal him within the Sacred Realm._

_11 A.I.W. Link is named Mayor of Ordon Village._

_13 A.I.W. Zelda Jewel Hylia weds Uryon Hilian Ordonis._

_16 A.I.W. Zelda produces a boy. He is named Daltus Jeran Hylia._

_37 A.I.W. Daltus Jeran Hylia takes the Throne._

_87 A.I.W. Daltus Jeran Hylia dies of an unknown illness, his cousin Ilirian Morthos Hylia is named King.  
><em>

_My account ends here... I leave it to my successor to finish the Tale of Years... may the years to come, be blessed._

Zelda looked up from the scroll and into her father's shining blue eyes, "You named me after Zelda Jewel?"

He nodded smiling, "Yes... Ilirian Morthos Hylia was my father... he was a great man, he did a great many things for this kingdom." The King's gaze drifted to the open window, "But the sad thing about our line is this: Our blood is dwindling... ever since the reign of Leon Fildan Hylia, we have searched for the decendants of Izuna Ordonis Hylia, it could only be assumed that his heirs would be in the Ordon Province... when I found out that this boy Link was one such heir, I knew that he had to be brought to the Castle."

The King returned his gaze to his daughter's blushing face, "And I can see that you are already thinking ahead, aren't you?"

When Zelda nodded, Largos laughed, "You haven't even met the lad, and you're already contemplating marriage!"

Zelda dropped her face into her hands to hide the burning blush, "I never said that!"

Largos stood, still laughing at his daughter's expense, "Even if you weren't, it's in your head now." He chuckled all the way to the door then turned to look at her again, "I already know that he'll reject an offer of marriage... so I don't expect you to throw yourself at him understand? The last thing we need is for him to suspect me of arranging a marriage with you... and I don't quite think you are ready for such a venture."

The King turned and walked down the hall.

Zelda heard him mumble, "Marriage! HA!" His laughter echoed throughout the chamber as he left the hall.

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed that. I spent the last TWO DAYS making all of that stuff up... not to mention the three hours it took me to syncronize all of the dates!<strong>

**I throughly enjoy writing The Legend of Zelda stories! And I can honestly say that I would give everything I own and both of my legs to say that I created it!**

**Until Next Time!**


	3. The Castle

**Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you chapter three of this custom-made adventure! I know the last chapter was almost entirely consumed by the 'Tale of Years' but I just couldn't help myself!**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Link's green eyes locked on the Captain's back. <em>This guy is going to be a thorn in my side... I can feel it.<em>

"What are your plans after you get to the castle?" A young recruit eyed the green-clad Ordonian.

"Hm?" Link turned to the boy.

"What are you going to do when you've made it to the Castle? It's a pretty big honor... being invited by the King himself!"

He waived an arm dismissively, "I'm not going because the King invited me."

The recruit's eyes went wide, "T-then why are you going?"

Link lowered his head and his voice, he didn't really want any of the other travelers to overhear, "Thie letter said that the Princess wanted to meet me... I have to go..."

"Ooooh... I get it! You like the Princess!"

His hands shot up, "NO! I can't ignore an invitation from the Princess can I?"

Captain Rusl turned his head slightly, "Spout it as many times as you want, you'll never convince anyone otherwise."

Link cast Rusl a scathing look, "Just because YOU are an old pervert doesn't mean every other boy in Hyrule is as well!"

A blindingly white smile flashed in his direction, "Boys will be boys... that's the unfortunate truth, there is no man on Earth that can successfully dodge his own instincts, and I can vouch for that many times."

Link turned his gaze back on the recruit who was now laughing to beat the band, "HEHE HAHHAHAHA!"

"OH STUFF IT! YOU PEOPLE ARE UTTERLY DERANGED!" With a rage-fueled flap of the reigns, Epona took off.

"SEE YOU AT THE CASTLE!"

**Hyrule Castle Throne Room**

Zelda smiled at the painting above her. Within it's gilded frame, sat every member of her family. Her mother, her father, cousins, grandparents and her now deceased brother.  
>The thought of her brother brought a tear to her eyes. He died when he was 12 years old, she had been but nine, which was only five years prior.<p>

The Royal Vizier had said that it was some sort of plague... not much was said about him anymore. Her father knew that Darien Rylon Hylia was a bit of a sore subject for her.

Darien's young face smiled down from the frame, his piercing steel-grey eyes were every bit as sharp as the swords he was being trained to use. His left eye was slightly obscured by a lock of his raven's-feather hair... quite honestly, his hair looked about as unkempt as a raven's nest.  
>On his right shoulder, a longsword with a curved golden hilt was propped.<p>

A younger version of herself stood at his left elbow, her rose-gold hair flowed down her shoulders. Her right hand clasped tightly in her brother's.

The squeak of the door's hinges brought her attention back to the modern world. A young soldier stepped inside and dropped to one knee, "Princess Zelda, I bring word from your father."

She nodded and motioned for him to stand.

"He is in the Castle Courtyard and asked that you join him there... Captain Rusl has been sighted in the Market."

"Thank you..." Her gown billowed around her as she swept out of the room.

**Hyrule Castle Market**

The sounds of common people going about their day filled the air. If he hadn't spent the previous day and a half traveling, Link would've sworn that he was in Ordon Market.

"Where in the heck is the Castle?" He asked, glancing around the market.

Rusl glanced at him over his shoulder, "Can't you see it? It's MUCH taller than the rest of the town you know."

Link glared at him, "No need to be a smart-alek, Rusl."

"That's CAPTAIN Rusl to you squirt."

His anger flared, the last time anyone called him short, they ended up hanging by their undergarments from their second-floor window, "Call me 'squirt' again and we'll see how long it takes King Largos to replace you."

"Whatever boy. The Castle is right there." He pointed to the north.

Link's eyes widened at the sheer size of the structure. The Castle rose hundreds of feet above the tallest building in Castleton.

The central tower stood almost twenty stories. On it's peak, a golden sculpture in the shape of the Royal Seal glistened in the noon-day sun.  
>Six elevated walkways extended from the main tower to connect with six corresponding ones on the Castle Walls. Each tower was peaked with a metal herald in the shape of the Six Sage's Symbols of Power.<p>

Rusl grinned at the expression on the boy's face, "What do you think?"

"Umm." Link's eyebrows raised a few inches, "Its a little... Extravagant."

A Hylian Gyrefalcon swept by the main tower, it's piercing cry echoing among the Castle's Silverstone walls.

As they rode on, the Castle loomed closer. It's high stained-glass windows gleaming like those in a cathedral.  
>Eventually they rounded a corner and came to the Gate.<p>

The Gate stood sixty feet tall. A large steel phoenix riveted to the door only added to the sense of grandeur.

"Welcome to the Royal Castle of Hyrule... Home to the Royal Houses of Hylia and Harkinian." Rusl gestured grandly to the Gate and smirked.

"As a fellow Heir of the Ancient house of Hylia, I welcome you Link Ordonis Hylia." A man dressed in golden-yellow robes appeared out of thin-air in front of Epona.

"Who are you?" Link asked, gazing distrustingly at the stranger.

"I am Rauru, Sage of Light... and Royal Archivist." Rauru held out his hand and made a claw-like gesture with his hand, causing a tall golden staff with a large clear diamond to materialize.  
>"As a Sage, it is my duty to acknowlege an Heir to the Golden Throne." He made a sweeping gesture at the gate, "The King awaits you in the Gardens."<p>

The Gate swung lightly open to reveal a long green marble pathway that led to a tall hedge. Trees and flowering bushes could be seen above the top.

Link gave Epona's reigns a light flick and she started slowly forward.  
><em>I suppose this is the moment of truth? God above... what am I to do? What will I say?<em> Link grimaced inwardly, it was situations like this that made him wonder if life were worth all the trouble.

As they rode a light eastern breeze stirred the grass and wildflowers on either side of the path. Drawing a deep breath, Link's grimace softened. The smell of the open fields and forests were the one thing that he considered a truly peaceful thing... Ah! He used to stand out in the forest and spend hours just breathing!  
>His gaze locked on a particularly tall tree in the Garden's Center. It's dark brown bark and light emerald-green leaves reminded him of the Ancient Deku Tree he had often visited in the Faron Woods. As he stared, for just a second he thought he saw a face on it's bark... How odd.<p>

He blinked twice and gave his head a shake. If he kept thinking like that, he might give a bad impression to his estranged relatives.

Speaking of relatives, they passed the hedge-row and rode into the main Garden. Next to the tree stood a tall man with shoulder-length brown hair, and a girl of Link's own age. He already knew who the man was, his blood-red cape and tall golden crown made certain of that. But the Girl... she had long rose-gold hair and piercing sapphire eyes.

Rusl leaned closer to Link and grunted, "Enjoying the view boy?"

Link jerked and glared at the older man, "One more comment like that and I swear no amount of bodyguards will be able to keep me away from you!"

"Oh really? I didn't know you were like that."

Instinctively Link reached for his sword, but stopped when the King's deep voice rang out, "Link... I am pleased you decided to come."  
>Largos bowed his head slightly and grinned, "I had hoped that my letter would be persuasive enough to entice you to come, and it seems ny hopes were not in vain!"<p>

Link gripped the saddle-horn and flipped out of the saddle, and immediatly regretted it. he wasn't sure why he had done it... but something told him that it wasn't for his own benefit. _Great... not even here ten minutes and I'm already acting like a show-off for the Princess... if I pull another stunt like that I'll gut myself with my sword._

He strode forward and bowed slightly. Largos placed a hand on Link's shoulder and chuckled, "Come now, we're family! You need not bow to me!" He wrapped his arm around Link's shoulder and turned to Zelda, "This is my daughter Zelda... and I daresay, we are both extremely delighted to meet you! You are every inch the strapping young lad I imagined!"

Zelda folded her hands at her waist and bowed.

Link blushed and stammered, "I-I am honored that you think so highly of me sire... but is all of this necessary?" Link looked over to Rusl for help, but Rusl simple smiled back in an obvious refusal.

"Necessary? Of course! Finding another Heir to the Throne is a momentous occasion!" The King gestured at the Castle, "In honor of this event, I have personally sent out invitations across the Kingdom, for we shall have a feast! And I shall begin teaching you everything about your heritage!"

The King released Link and turned to the Captain, "If you will Captain, I would like you to ask Astrid and Oramis to prepare Link's Room." His attention returned to Link, "Come! Let us get you aquainted with the Castle!"

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><p><strong>There! How was that? I've been here in McDonalds since three o' clock working on this. I hope you enjoyed this!<strong>

**Until My Next Posting Me Dear Friends!**


	4. A Magical Display

**This story is not coming entirely from my own imagination, I will admit that! Some of my inspiration comes from 'The Lord of The Rings' by J.R.R. Tolkien.**

**I hope to make this story as long as possible, and as rich as possible. And to do that, I put myself in Link's shoes. I go out into the woods and 'act' this story out as I go. I know that sounds 'geeky', but I enjoy the mythology behind this tale to the nth degree!**

**If you've a mind to, please tell me how I am doing. And one more thing, I've updated my profile to reflect the REAL me. No wisecracks or deviations.**

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><p>Link followed behind the King with a slight hesitation in his steps. And every second that passed, he thanked God that the King had decided to let go of him before he charged towards the Castle.<p>

"Come now Link! You must tell me about yourself, one must get to know his family after all!" Largos' eyes locked on Link, a slight knowing twinkle let on more than usual.

Link shrugged and glanced at a painting to the left, "Not much to tell... I'm a farm boy after all, its not like I can do anything special."

The King turned and clasped Link's shoulders, "Doubt not thyself! Every man, woman and child living can do something that is both above and beyond the extraordinary!" Largos pointed at the painting that held Link's gaze.

"That boy in the center is my son... he died several years ago, but he was the greatest swordsman this Kingdom knew... and more importantly, he cared for the people! If he had survived the Eyes of Darkness, he would have been an excellent King!"

Turning his gaze on the noble, Link questioned, "What is the Eyes of Darkness?"

Largos' face darkened, "A plague... I wish you had asked another question, but it cannot now be helped." The King straightened and gazed at the painting.

"The Eyes of Darkness is the worst plague Hyrule has ever seen... it's symptoms are easy enough to recognize, but there is no known cure for it... when a person witnesses evil so foul so... cruel, his eyes are consumed by it and assume a dark appearance." Largos frowned at Link, "The pupil turns white, and the sclera turns blacker than Ganondorf's heart... the afflicted claim that they can see the evil in men's hearts... and since mortals are not made to witness such things, their own hearts collapse under the emotional and physical distress."

Unconsciously, Link gulped.

"I had to watch my own son descend into the unknown madness that those eyes inflict... and so I am left with only one child... my beloved daughter."

"How do you know so much about this plague?" The curiosity in his voice poorly hidden.

"Rauru and I conducted an extensive study when my son fist contracted it... but as you doubtlessly know, we were unsuccessful."  
>He smiled and waived his hand dismissively, "Think no more of it, somethings are better left unsaid... now... back to the task at hand! Tell me of your family, they are also my relatives and so I must learn more about them!"<p>

Link grinned. _The King is nothing like I imagined him to be... but I must still be wary, who knows what he has planned._

After a moment, The King turned from Link and said, "Let us continue... I wish to show you something in the archives."

**Zelda's Room**

Thoughts... endless thoughts raced through her mind. What was she to make of Link? Was he really of Royal Blood... or was all of this some sort of elaborate plot to supplant the Royal Family?

Her gaze skimmed the room and eventually fell upon the scroll her father had given her. It's contents were nothing more than a collection of family trees of the Ordonian people, but it was for that reason he had given it to her.

It traced Izuna Ordonis Hylia's bloodline down through the years until it reached an end with someone named 'Tyron Lethan Ordonis', and that was enough to spark these questions.

With trembling fingers, she grasped the yellowed parchment and stared at the last three names on the list.

_Ryon Berix Hylia (16 - 59 A.I.W.)  
>Byron Lethix Hylia (43 - 73 A.I.W.)<br>Tyron Lethan Ordonis (50 - 82 A.I.W.)_

If the last date on the list was correct, Tyron died thirty-two years earlier... and furthermore, if this document was regularly updated Link's father should be listed... unless Tyron was Link's father. But that made little sense either, Link was only seventeen years of age.

Throwing the scroll onto the bed, she stood and stormed out of her room. She had to clear her head... and it seemed as though a walk was the only feasible answer.

**Archive Hall**

The appraoch to the Archives was, to say the least, amazing. The hallway itself appeared to be gilded! Each stone in the wall was covered with a layer of gold, giving one the feeling of entering a Dragon's Den.

The door stood twenty feet tall and displayed an image of a sword piercing a boulder.

"Ah! Here lies the Royal Archives! Almost a millenium's worth of information is housed within." The King pushed the doors open with a light thrust of his hands.

Link followed behind, his eyes grazing every available surface. The room was hexagonal in shape, but nearly as large as the Gardens themselves. The high vaulted ceiling bore painted scenes from the most famous legends of Hyrule's history.

"Yes, Donego Miortano the artist painted the scenes you see." Largos pointed to an image of a boy in a green tunic facing down a large insect-like creature, "The Hero of Time fights the Parasitic Arachnid Ghoma!" His finger trailed over to a scene of a man in a golden suit of armor holding a longsword with a blue wing-like hilt, "The Hero of Time retrieves the Master Sword... all of these depict the adventure of a boy, you share his name I believe... named 'Link'... he fought the darkest powers this Kingdom has ever known, but he left the Kingdom one day and never returned."

The King's arm dropped to his side, "The People cling to his legend in hopes that he will return... though they know not why, the Kingdom is not in danger."

Link's gaze drifted to a grey stone pedestal near the Archive's center. A tattered leather-bound book sat upon it's top, it's golden lettering still shone vividly, "That is the Liber fermentum, or The Book of Legends in modern Hylian. This book holds legends and stories that haven't been heard by hylian ears for centuries."

The King lovingly lifted the book from the pilith and smiled, "This is what I wanted to show you..."

Largos carefully opened the cover and blew across the pages. Immediatly the room seemed to darken, the pages of the book glowed with an eerie blue light.

"This book also holds magic that the Hero of Time once used..." Largos turned to Link with a darkened expression on his face, "If you prove yourself to be who I believe you are, you shall learn the power the Royal Bloodline posesses."

Sparks of blue and green energy jumped from the book and began flitting around the room like fireflies, many of them coalesced into orbs of energy that threw arcs of electricity into the bookcases as they passed. Link threw up an arm to shield himself as one of those arcs jumped for his arm, but to his surprise the energy raced up his arm and left a warm feeling in his chest.

"The Royal Family is tied to the Land... and so the land grants us powers that transcend the most powerful socerers, as a fellow heir you also posess these powers." Light from the magical storm around them cast dancing shadows across the King's aged face.  
>"If you are willing, I shall train you... but be warned, if you do not learn to controll your abilities before they surface... they could destroy you."<p>

Largos closed the book. The orbs of magic vanished like flashes of lightning.

Link gazed warily at the King and growled, "And just who do you think I am?"

The King's smile widened, "I believe you to be... one whom the people have waited many long years for." Largos turned and placed the book back on its pedestal.

"Follow me, you have yet to meet the Princess properly!" The King's robe flared as he turned on his heel and swept out of the room.

Largos glanced at Link as he followed. Upon the young man's cheeks, a pale red blush glowed like a firebrand. _By the Gods! Does the boy think of my daughter like...? Nay... you're imagining things again old man, that's going to get you in trouble one day._

**The Castle Gardens**

A small smile curved across her face. Every time she tried to think for herself, images of Link would cloud her mind like an early-morning mist!  
>And quite honestly, it infuriated her! She was Princess Zelda! Her heart belonged to her, and as such, she had the right to choose who it belonged to!<p>

_Can you reall say that when you are so infatuated with him?_ A small evil-sounding voice sounded from somewhere in the back of her mind.  
><em>Admit it Zelda dear... you're falling for him, and you don't even know the first thing about him!<em>

As much as she might want to deny such a claim (even if it was her own claim...), she had to admit it...

While she silently battled with the malevolent forces inside her own mind, she heard her father's voice shout, "ZELDA! WHERE ARE YOU?"

Her head snapped up to look at the Castle gate. Her father was marching out of the Castle like a legion of soidiers... and Link followed behind him.

Perfect... just friggin perfect.

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><p><strong>What dost thou think? I apologise if you don't like the ambient tone of 'Love at first sight', but I just can't help myself when it comes to that kind of thing... if you know anything about my original profile, you know the story, but I think I'm past that kind of thing. I hope.<strong>

**Anyway my dear readers, I do sincerely hope that you will return to read more of Link 'The Lost Heir's' adventures!**

**Until Next Time!**


	5. A Walk In The Gardens

**Well what do you know? This story is getting stranger and stranger by the day! If this keeps up Link might end up becoming a drooling prince! (Not that he will or anything like that, I don't foreshadow... sometimes...)**

**Continue reading! I get new ideas for this everyday, and quite honestly I kind of... created Link to be a... rural version of myself.**

**No I don't have a Master Sword... yet.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Largos stood next to Link. A stone-like expression on his face, "Zelda my dear... I want you to spend time with Link until the Feast."<p>

Zelda opened her mouth to protest, but her father cut her off, "He needs someone who can show him the Castle... I can think of noone better than you! Besides, this will be the perfect opportunity for the both of you to get to know each other!"

The King looked at Link.  
>Unsurprisingly, the boy's mouth hung open like a rusted iron door.<p>

"Oh come now Link! Don't look so down, my daughter is quite the intellectual, you can have a _real_ intelligent conversation with her... which is I daresay, something an old man like myself cannot provide." Larogs turned and strode into the Castle.

Leaving a Princess and a Ordonian Farm-Boy alone together in the Castle Gardens.

Zelda smiled haltingly at Link, but inside she was screaming at herself. _SAY SOMETHING YOU DOLT! HE'S JUST A BOY, NOT A STALFOS!_

Link cocked his head as if thinking, "Umm... Princess?"

"Yes?"

Link shuffled his feet nervously and gestured at the Garden around them, "Would you... l-like to walk with me?" He extended his left hand towards her and smiled.

_Well that was unexpected..._ Zelda frowned for a moment, then slowly grasped his hand. _CALM DOWN!_ Her inner voice screamed.

Link stepped down the garden path... in all actuality, he wasn't faring much better with his own mind. _WHAT IN THE NAME OF DIN ARE YOU DOING?_

Keeping his movements as steady as possible, he continued down the path with Zelda *gulp* in hand...

To the young pair, each step seemed to take centuries. Each movement a small eternity and each rustle of leaf and twig in the wind sounded like the spectators of a public execution.

The Ordonian's gaze drifted among the various plants and flowers, until it rested upon the mighty tree.

"That tree is... strange."

Zelda's eyes followed his gaze, a smile formed on her lips, "That is a Kokiri Deku Tree... my great, great grandfather brought it here from the Lost woods."  
>She stepped toward it and lovingly stroked the smooth chocolate-brown bark, "Legends say that it is a sprout of the Great Deku Tree... and coming from the Kokiri Children, it's a story that is likely to be true."<p>

As Link watched, a face appeared on the bark just as before... But this time, it spoke.

"Link..." It's wispy voice could just barely be registered over the light breeze.

Zelda smiled at the tree, "Viridis! It's great to know that you're awake!"

The tree's face slowly curved upward into a smile, "Zelda... my child... how... have you been?"

Her eyes dropped slightly, "Not entirely well... I have many questions to ask you, but I will have to wait until another time."

The tree's gaze turned on Link, "Is it... something to... do with this boy?"

Zelda nodded.

"What is it child?"

Her gaze turned to Link, "Nothing... I... ah it's nothing, I'll talk to you when I have some time."

The tree's expression change to one of puzzlement, "Very well... I shall... expect you later..." The face faded, leaving behind the tree's smooth bark.

Link had not moved during the conversation. The simple idea that a tree had spoken was a bit much for him to process.

"Link? Are you okay?" Zelda waived a hand in front of his face for a second. He jerked as he recovered.

"Um yeah! I'm alright..." He shrugged and turned to the path, "W-where were we?"

She smiled and grasped his hand, "I believe you were escorting me through the gardens."

"Oh... um... right, this way your majesty." His left hand tucked to his body he swung his right hand down and gestured at the pathway grandly. Zelda chuckled and tugged him back to a standing position.

**Throne Room**

King Largos sat with a grim frown on his face. He was now faced with a dangerous problem...

"How in the hell am I going to house _three-hundred _guests in this hall?"

Several servants were arranging tables around the hall, one of them grunted and groaned under the table's weight. Until he lost his grip and it fell upon his foot with a loud BANG! The servant yelled loud enough to make The King flinch, and in response Largos rushed over to help, "Leon, I told you to go on a diet! Get to the Medical Wing... They'll help you with that foot."

Urienze rushed through the door and called, "Your Majesty!"

Largos turned and grunted, "What is it Urienze? I've only got _six hours_ until the guests start to arrive!"  
>Urienze bowed and apologized, "Sorry my Lord, but Rusl has reported that Princess Zelda has been spotted in the Gardens with Link..."<p>

The King shook his head, "That's fine, I told them to get to know each other."

The Captain's face changed from bewilderment to one of malevolent thought, "So... I understand my Lord, I shall inform Rusl and the Royal Guard to pull back."

Largos' eyebrows scrunched, "You do that..."

**Castle Gardens - West Orchard**

Link smiled as they passed yet another patch of Ordonian Tulips. Their scent reminded him of strawberries and cream... not that he spent all of his time figuring that sort of thing out.  
>They stopped walking for a moment while Zelda knelt to pluck one from the bush, "How do you know so much about plants?" She asked while eyeing the boy over the flower's brim.<p>

Link shrugged and smiled, "I've lived my life out in the forest... I guess you could say that I'm a naturalist."

"Yet you are skilled in forging blades? Not exactly the kind of skills one expects someone to know." She tucked the flower into her tiara and crossed her arms behind her back.

"My father was a blacksmith... so was his father, I can't exactly choose another occupation can I? The Royal Family seemed to enjoy the blades I sent with the escorts." Link scowled for a moment and continued, "The last blade took me three weeks to make! I was told that the Prince _loved_ it... or was there someone blowing smoke up my...?" Zelda cut him off with her frown.

"My brother died ten years ago! You yourself are only seventeen years old!"

Link crossed his arms and tilted his head back, "Well EXCUSE ME Princess! I was meerly making a point, not trying to offend you..." His head dropped forward to observe Zelda... who was now looking at him with a visage of pure disdain.  
>He opened his mouth to apologize, but she got to him first.<p>

"Why are you here?"

"Wha...? Your father asked me to come... then he said that you wanted me to come as well."

She shook her head, "I never said anything of the like, my father informed me about you after he sent the emissary to collect you."

The boy's head dropped for a moment, then he looked back up, "Let me get this straight... you never asked for me to come to the Castle?"

"No."

"Then what in Din's name am I doing here?" Link spun on his heel and made for the gates.

Zelda gripped the hem of her dress and ran after him, "Where are you going?"

Link stopped and glared at her, "If I am not wanted here, I shall leave... its not like I need to be here in the first place, I have a village to protect." He turned and started out of the Garden gate, but Zelda gripped his shoulder and forced him to look at her.

"My father has invited the entire Kingdom to the Castle in celebration of your arrival... and you are just going to leave when he is honoring you like this? I've seen smarter mules!" Zelda dropped the hem of her dress and cupped his face, "You need to learn a few things on recognizing when you are wanted somewhere."

He twisted from her grasp and grunted, "Fine... I'll stay, but the very first time I see a chance for me to leave, I shall... and don't think I won't!"

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><p><strong>I know this chapter is a little on the short side, but I ran out of ideas... not everyone on this planet is able to churn out ideas like a power plant.<strong>

**But I digress, I shall post the next chapter... posthaste! (Pardon the pun...)**

**Until Next Time my Friends!**


	6. Dinner And A Show

**Chapter 6. The Feast!**

**Link and Zelda have learned many things about each other... And Zelda appears to be falling for the green-clad farm boy. King Largos is hosting a feast in Link's honor! Why in the world would he do that?**

**Read and find out, in chapter 5 of The Legend of Zelda: A Hero's Blood.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Along the grey stone walls, torches were hung every ten feet. The flames cast flitting ghosts of light and shadow across the floor. His mind caught in a snare of innumerable questions, Link made his way to his room to don some clothing that was a little more appropriate.<p>

This place is getting to me… I need to see the forest again! To hear the wind in the leaves… to smell the dew on the grass… to see the sun through the trees.

He unconsciously gripped the hilt of his sword, as he usually did when his thoughts overran his mind.

In less than an hour, he was to enter the throne room to attend the feast… he wasn't sure if he would actually attend, his conversation with the Princess in the gardens had proven once again that his distrust of the Royal Family was not without its merits. The only reason he had conceded to come to the Castle in the first place was because he believed Zelda had wanted him to come… And if that thought doesn't sound like it belongs to a hopeless romantic, I don't know what does… BLAST ME FOR A FOOL! I'm next in line to become the bloody Mayor of Ordon!

Out of the corner of his eye, he observed a shadow behind a suit of armor move. And in a movement quicker than the eye could follow, he swept out his sword and knocked the armor's helmet down the hall with a voluminous CLANG!  
>Behind the decapitated decoration, a small boy in a tattered olive-green tunic cowered, "Please don't hurt me! I got lost looking for my mother!"<p>

The boy's face was smudged with dirt; his blonde hair was every bit as dirty as his tunic. Link knelt and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "There now… what's your name?"

Still whimpering slightly the boy lifted his sea-green eyes and coughed, "Kayne… my mother is a servant here… she promised to take me to the feast, but I got separated from her…" His voice trailed off into a series of sobs.

Link frowned and lifted Kayne onto his shoulder, "Alright then… let's get you cleaned up, I have to go to the feast as well… we'll see about finding your mother then, what say you?"

Kayne smiled and nodded.

After walking a few steps, Link stopped and held up his hand, "I'm Link by the way, tis pleased I am to meet you Kayne!" The boy grasped Link's hand and giggled.

God above… he reminds me so much of… me… if I didn't know any better, I'd say that I've met him before.

Eventually Link found his room. As he had expected, the room was lavishly decorated. The four-poster bed was covered in a thick down comforter with silk sheets. A large marble fireplace with a blazing log-fire stood on the north side of the room. Beside the bed, a tall wooden wardrobe hung open, a cotton and silk court uniform hung from the open door.

"Wow! Is this your room?" Kayne asked from Link's shoulder.

Link shrugged and set the boy on the floor, "I guess so… now one must wonder… where the washroom is?"

As if on cue, a servant girl waltzed into the room with a pile of towels draped over her arm. She stopped when she observed Link and bowed, "Good evening sir, I have some fresh towels for you here… I assume you'll be wanting' to wash before the feast?"

"Umm, not exactly… but you see…" He gestured at the boy.

The servant girl nodded and placed the towels on the bed, "Ah! Kayne! I thought I told you to stay with your father?"

Kayne hung his head and shuffled nervously, "But I wanted to see the feast!"

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times! The King won't allow you in! This is a Noble's celebration!"

"Aww why can't I come?"

"That's enough! I'm taking you back to your father as soon as I'm done here!" She straightened and bowed to Link, "I'm terribly sorry sir, my son can be a bit of a troublemaker when he thinks I'm not looking."

Smiling in response, Link nodded, "I understand, but why won't the King allow him into the Feast?"

"That's just how Nobles are…they think everything is theirs by principle, sometimes I wonder if it'd be better if the King were a commoner like everyone else."

Link knelt beside the boy, "Kayne?"

Kayne lifted his head.

"How would you like to come with me to the feast?"

The boy's face lit up, "REALLY?"

"Of course! I see no reason why not." He looked up to the boy's startled mother, "Is it possible to get him a bath? By the time I'm finished with him, he'll be looking like a young Prince!"

**Throne Room**

Only a few minutes after the tables had been set up, the guests had started arriving. The first to arrive had been Marcus Hildegard, Provincial Lord of The Mountain Province.

King Largos sat at the table's head. Link had been set to arrive ten minutes earlier... and now he had to announce why the guest of honor was not present.

He stood and swept his red robe aside. All heads turned in his direction.

"Ladies and Gentlemen... our guest of honor, Link Ordonis Hylia... has not yet arrived, so I ask you to be patient... upon his arrival we shall begin."

A voice from the back of the hall sounded across the startled guests, "Why not begin now?"

Largos smiled widely as Link strode into the hall. His long green robes trailing behind him. He truly looked like an heir to the throne!

The King's gaze then settled on the smaller shape next to him... a boy... he wore a simple green tunic, with a page's tabard draped over his shoulders.

"Link... who is this?" He gestured at the boy.

"This is Kayne! He will be seated with me, if you don't mind."

A young woman from Termina leaned towards the boy and giggled, "He is simply adorable! Is he yours?"

The King leaned in slightly, that was a question he had wanted to ask.

Link shook his head and grasped the boy's shoulder, "No good lady, he is not mine! I simply brought him along as a favor to a friend... you might say that for the evening, he is a noble."

"Ah! I see... so Master Link is too kind for his own good?" Captain Rusl stood from his chair and ripped a mouthful of meat from a roasted chicken leg. With his already large mouth filled considerably, he chuckled, "And I believe you have yet to display your skills to the King, am I right?" Rusl looked at the King.

Largos shrugged, "What do you mean Rusl?"

"The boy's swordsmanship of course!"

All eyes fell on Kayne.

"NO NO! NOT KAYNE, I mean Link!" The Captain made it stalwartly clear that he had already imbibed more mead than was good for him, placing his left boot on the table; he sprung over it and swept out his sword.

"Come on Lad! Draw your blade; we shall give this rabble a show they'll remember for many years!"

Link glared darkly at the drunken captain and gently placed Kayne in an empty chair, "Wait here... get yourself some food, I'll be back soon."

Link edged toward the captain and slowly removed his outer robe, "I thought this was supposed to be a celebration?"

Rusl smirked and raised his sword, "What's a celebration without entertainment? Besides, I could use the chance to humiliate you before the entire court of Hyrule!"

Link smiled back and gripped his sword. A dull ringing filled the air as he swept it from its sheath; he spun it on his finger tips and pointed it straight at Rusl's nose, "I suggest you sit down now... before you make a fool of yourself."

Rusl darted forward and raised his sword shouting wildly.

Link stepped to the side and let the captain pass by, "After you sir!"

Rusl turned and growled, "You'll have to do better than that boy!" With his sword poised to remove Link's head, Rusl charged.  
>Repeating his earlier move, Link sidestepped and swung his blade down to catch the captain's arm.<p>

"You seem a little off today Rusl… do you require a respite?"

Rusl growled like a feral dog and made a fist. His clenched fist began glowing with a ghostly green light, "I suppose you could use some training in combat magic? Good... try this on for size!" The muscles in his arm clenched, his glowing hand brightened, "FALCON'S CLAW!"  
>His hand thrust in Link's direction palm outward. A monsterous talon made of green light materialized in the center of the plasmic storm.<p>

Widening his stance, Link raised his sword paralell to his torso. A look of single-minded determination upon his elven face.

Largos stood and shouted, "LINK! MOVE YOU DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO COUNTER THAT!"

Link smirked and swung the blade upwards bisecting the blast down its center. As Link strained against the surge of energy, Rusl grunted as he forced more power into the attack.

Link's ordonian sword blazed with yellow light... and the blast dissipated into the surrounding air.  
>Rusl dropped to one knee, drawing great lungfuls of air.<p>

"Not *huff* bad boy..."

Locking eyes with the captain, Link smiled, "Not bad yourself... Rusl... but I suggest you get some rest and recover from your hangover before you attempt to fight me again."

Heaving a shuddering chuckle, Rusl grinned, "Duly noted... how about a rematch monday?"

Link nodded and turned to the silent crowd.

...

...

The entire hall broke into applause.

"BRAVO!" A man dressed in a voluminous red cloak thrust his fist into the air and pounded the table with the other.

"EUGEPAE LOREM!" Another guest wearing desert robes clapped enthusiasticaly.

The King stood and held up a hand, the hall fell silent.

"Friends... your eyes betray you not! This young man has just proven that he is an heir to King Pharos... as King, it is my pleasure to invite you to witness the rematch between Link Ordonis Hylia and Rusl Bergon Captain of the Guard! The crowd broke out into applause again. Largos silenced them and continued, "In three days, you shall see the true skills of this young lad... be prepared my friends!"

Link smiled widely at Largos, then at Kayne. Kayne was smiling and gripping the edge of his chair.

"Link!" Princess Zelda appeared next to the startled hylian with a grin on her face, "I never expected you to know how to counter a combat spell of that magnitude! Especially since you have had no training!"

Link shrugged and scratched the back of his head nervously, "I wasn't trying to counter it..."

Raising her eyebrows questioningly, Zelda grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the doors, "It matters not what you were trying to do... what you did was incredibly difficult to do. But you need some proper training before you attempt to battle Rusl at his full strength."

"What do you mean?"

"Come with me... I know someone who can help."

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><p><strong>Well what do you know? Three days since my last post! I apologize, I was working on writing a speech for class... I have to give a speech on the mechanics of Chainmail...<strong>

**Not exactly your domestic study, but effective if you want to make an impression on a class full of college students!**

**Until Next Time!**


	7. Sagely Advice

**Ladies and Gentlemen! My younger sister Hannah, just went into labor! My nephew should be born within the next 24 hours... I hope to God that he turns out smarter than I. He shall be named: Pistole Lee Carner... don't laugh, they chose that name because our father was a gun enthusiast... and his middle name was Lee. Whatever his name, I shall do my best to be the greatest uncle he could ever have!**

**On another note, I would like to thank Jessica-X for her incredible assistance in my hopeless career of writing! If any of you have a mind, take a peek at some of her stories!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>They left the hall and moved down a southern corridor towards the back section of the castle, called the Lost Court. This section had been the original throne room, but after Ganondorf's first visit from the Desert this had been the only part of the castle to fall in the ensuing siege.<p>

"Where are we going?" Link huffed.

Zelda turned to him with a swirl of her dress, "To meet someone."

"Who?"

"You shall see when we get there."

"Who?"

Groaning lowly in her throat, she seized his wrist, "What are you an owl?" With a sharp tug, they both passed through a tall archway and out into an isolated courtyard.

His eyes scanned the area, which was scarcely larger than the gardens. Several statues stood at different positions around the yard, but one in particular caught his eye.

The figure's face reminded him of an elf... but like all hylians, the figure's ears were pointed. (Hylian legends state that their ears are pointed to allow them to hear the sacred words of the Goddesses.)  
>Link's eyes drifted to the statue's base where a dull brown metal plaque had been fixed. Leaning in closer, Link recited aloud:<p>

_His blade of light and Time unnumbered,  
>Shall cleave the Shadows that blanket the land,<br>In quiet solitude, his soul has slumbered,  
>His decendant shall thwart the power from the sand.<br>Ye who believe in your own power,  
>Must trust in your own Courage,<br>And scale the heights to the peak of the Tower,  
>Seek the lost ship at forbidden anchorage.<em>

_Or fall in to darkness with all that is left of your kin._

"Well... that seems encouraging." He gazed at Zelda and chuckled, "Are all of the Hylian legends as... depressing as this?"

Her blue eyes blazed with momentary anger, then it faded as quickly as it came, "You shouldn't make light of such an important verse... that statue has stood in this courtyard since the reign of Elirian Hylia, he himself erected it to honor the First Hero, his legends have long since been forgotten..." Her voice trailed away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you took these things so personally." He turned and gazed back at the figure's elven face, "I know this may sound strange... but I feel like I've seen this statue before... like... Oh my God... he's me!"

Zelda snapped up and looked at him, "What?"

"THAT FIGURE IS ME!" Link took a step back and tripped on a loose stone. Scrambling back against a retaining wall, his eyes wildly searching the garden for a specter or some kind of evil beast.

"Calm down Link! This statue is over six-hundred years old!"

"DON'T TELL ME TO BE CALM PRINCESS! THERE IS SOMETHING FUNNY GOING ON HERE!" He jumped to his feet and swept his sword from it's sheath, "Show yourself! I know you're here!"

The hair on Zelda's neck stood on end as dark lilting laughter filled the air.

"HAH HA HA HA HA HA... Very perceptive! You may make a hero yet." A cloud of dark violet energy seepet from the north wall and drifted toward the center like a malevolent fog.

Zelda raised her hands, a light aura of golden-yellow light enshrouded her fingers. Raising his blade and poising himself for a spring, Link shouted, "WHO ARE YOU?"

The center of the fog pulsed like a heart in time with the voice, "You know me well... though you have never met me... does that confuse you? Good. I have much to tell you, and much to learn from you." The fog collapsed on itself and formed the vague outline of a tall man wearing a long flowing cape.

Still shrouded with mist, the figure raised and arm to it's chest and bowed, "Princess Zelda... I had not anticipated your presence, I am honored."

Blinking twice, she lowered her hands and smiled, "Uncle Treyus?"

The figure nodded, "Yes, it is I."

She darted forward and tackled Treyus. The mist around him vanished as he fell to the ground with a giggling princess wrapped around his shoulders.

Utterly dumbfounded, Link sheathed his sword, "What's going on here?"

Zelda smiled up from her position on Treyus' chest, "This is my nanny! He raised me when my parents were running the kingdom!"

The red-faced man smirked and nodded, "Yes that's true... but I must ask my dear... would you mind allowing me up?"

"OH! Sorry..." She hastily stood and helped him to his feet.

"That's quite alright." Sweeping his hands over his black tunic and cloak, he smiled down at Zelda, "It is wonderful to see you dear." His violet eyes fixed on Link, "So... you are the Ordonian boy who is royal?"

Still a little shocked, Link nodded shakily.

"Speak up boy! Are you mute?"

He shook his head, "No..."

"Good. You have much to learn if you are to claim the blade."

"What?"

"I see you ask a lot of questions, that's good. He who asks questions admits he does not know the answer, but he who refuses to ask, must admit that he never will." Treyus strode over and gripped Link's shoulders, "You... are a little skinny aren't you?"

Link gazed at Zelda, a small smile graced her face.

Treyus released Link and crossed his arms, "I do not sense magic in you... have you been trained?"

When Link shook his head, Treyus chuckled, "Well, I suppose I could afford you some training... after all, I am the Sage of Shadows."

The Ordonian's eyes bugged, "YOU'RE THE SAGE OF SHADOWS?"

"Indeed... why is something amiss?"

Link shook his head furiously and took a step back, "No, I never expected to see the Sage of Shadows..."

"Why? Is it because my predicessor was sealed in the Shadow Temple? That was for his own good... he was a very sick man." Treyus' gaze drifted away from Link as he spoke, "Anyway... you shall come with me."

"But, I wished for him to meet with someone." Zelda interjected.

"I can teach him magic, you don't need to take him to Enceledus... that old fool wouldn't know proper magic if it danced naked in front of him."

Link chuckled.

"Glad you have a sense of humor, you'll need it." He extended his hand and grasped Link's shoulder.

And in a flash of amethyst light, they vanished.

**The Lost Woods - Grove of Echoing Time**

Before his eyes, the courtyard vanished and was replaced by an enclosing forest of dark trees with silver-blue leaves.  
>Whispers echoed from the forest, some spoke of dark futures... some spoke of a long-lost age when heroes were shunned and evil was embraced.<p>

"Welcome young hero... to The Grove of Echoing Time. Here you shall learn if you are truly the Hero of Legend." Treyus expression was still as stone. Link was not in the least bit comforted by his words either.

"There have been two others before you to visit this wood... The first Hero of Time and your namesake, Link Paramina Hylia." Treyus gestured at two dirt pathways that pierced the treeline, "There are two paths into the forest center. It is your choice to take the right path... which will you take?" He gestured at the right, "The right pathway leads along the forest edge before passing through a swamp. The left leads directly into the center before deviating through a graveyard... will you take your destiny lightly and move quickly around your goal until you decide to dive boldly forward, or will you take the hard road and witness the deaths of those closest to you?"

Treyus bowed slightly, "I leave the choice to you." And vanished.

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><p><strong>How do you like that? I would be lying if I said that this would not make a good game, am I right?<strong>

**I leave you with this: "He who asks questions, admits he does not know the answer. But he who refuses to ask questions, must admit he never will." I wrote that! Just yesterday as a matter of fact.**

**Until The Next Time!**


	8. Reflective Thought

**We come to chapter eight! The forest is an idea I had yesterday when I was walking through the woods, there were two paths that wound off through the trees and brambles. I explored each one and mixed the experience into this story. What say you?**

**Link must take one road. His choice will affect the outcome of his adventure.**

**I would like to thank you, my dear readers! You can thank yourselves for giving me the motivation to type until my fingers cramp!**

**Enjoy!  
><strong>

* * *

><p>His mind raced as he considered the possibilities. If he took the right path... he would pass around the border of the forest until he reached the swamp... but if he took the left, he would see the graveyard... that didn't sound so bad.<p>

Thinking he had decided, he took a step forward. A stick snapped under his weight and he froze. Treyus' words echoed in his mind.

_"Or will you take the hard road, and witness the deaths of those closest to you?"_

With a shake of his head, the words vanished. He gripped his sword and pulled it from its sheath. A dull ringing announced it's existence.

"Right..." A long exhale from his nose, he dove forward... down the left path.

He ran. Thinking of nothing else but finding the center of this wood. The melodious calls of birds of every shape, size and color filled the air.  
>Any other time he would have stopped to identify these beautiful winged creatures... but now was not the time.<p>

And still he ran. He ran until his tired muscles used pain to protest.

With a final three steps, he stopped and proped himself against a deku tree.

Huffing and puffing to regain spent air, he gazed at the path ahead. Then at the path behind. He had run for nearly an hour... or that's what it felt like at least.

A pair of Hylian Black Pine stood like door-posts, their arching branches covering the roof like an arch. As he peered down the fairly straight pathway, a thin grey mist could be seen. It hid the path as a lake hides it's bed.

He knew what that portended... the graveyard lay just ahead.

He pushed himself away from his prop and trudged onward. If this graveyard was the only obstacle on his path... he might make it to the forest center with little trouble...

As he loped on, he passed onto the mist-laiden ground. Nothing yet could be seen.

Until he noticed a rounded grey stone standing above the mist.

His blood ran cold as he read the name: _Ashelia Grey Hylia_, his Mother.  
>He stopped at the grave and stared with frozen heart. His mother had been buried in Faron Woods next to the Spirit's spring...<p>

Another grave caught his attention. It bore the name of his best friend. The mist rolled away to reveil rows upon rows of the gastly memorials.

Each one bore the name of someone he knew... A larger one with a wilted black rose proped against it finally dragged him to his knees:

_Herein lies  
>Zelda Rose Hylia<em>

_Princess of Hyrule_

How could she be dead? He had only just left her!

Cold tears drifted down his face, he had known her for only a brief while... but he had admittedly fallen in love with her.

A woman dressed in a grey robe materialized from the mist. Her cold grey eyes locked on him accusingly.

"How could you?"

Link looked up at her... it was Zelda.

"How could you just leave me! You call yourself a decendant of Izuna? I've seen blaphemous traitors more trustworthy than you!" In a quick swipe, she placed a stinging strike on his left cheek.

"You deserve to die!"

Link slowly drew himself to his feet, and looked the woman in the eyes, "Perhaps I do... I wanted to tell you several times... but I just couldn't bring myself to say it..." He sighed.

"I love you."

Zelda's image swirled and faded. The young hero glanced from left to right, frantically searching for her.

"Go..."

The voice had no visible source, but still he searched.

"GO!"

Taking it's meaning, he turned and darted down the pathway...

Just ahead the trees emitted a dark blue glow. And from that he knew, he had reached the center of the forest! As if to reinforce his assumption, A large boulder sat in the clearing. It's sides had been hewn from rough stone into a fairly smooth stairway that led up the monolith, and upon it's summit a single ray of sunshine pierced the canopy and iluminated a glowing object.

Ignoring the pain in his legs, Link charged up the steps. Each bounding stride carried him closer and closer to the top, and with a final leap he cleared the final few steps and fell to his knees.

"Made it." Sweat trailed down his face and into his eyes.

"Indeed you have... I must say, I am shocked you did not linger in the graveyard longer... last time Link Paramina Hylia spent three days crouched before a stone marked with the Forest Sage's name."

Link's eyes lifted to the form of a man draped in a long grey robe, "Who are you?"

The figure scoffed, "What? You don't know me?" The hood fell and brought the man's features to light.

He was the spitting image of Link.

"If you had given me more time, I could have further assumed your form." His red eyes narrowed, "I am the sum of your negative emotions... he who is you... as the last hero's little guardian so aptly put it, 'Conquer yourself!"

Something in the back of his mind moved his muscles. Rolling to the left, he barely missed a bolt of angry red energy.

The man's high-pitched laughter echoed in the surrounding forest, "Excellent! You move exactly as the last hero! It shouldn't take me too long to destroy you."

With a feral look in his green eyes, Link leapt to his feet and snarled, "Destroy me? You know nothing about me!"

His visage blurred as he dove at the figure's feet, "Chrono Edge!" His Ordonian blade glowed with piercing white light as it moved swiftly downward in a deadly arc.

Dark Link shuffled back and chuckled, "Unfortunately, I know all of your attacks... pity, you really should have trained harder in Faron Woods." Link's sword glanced off of the stone with a resounding ring, and Dark Link drew his own blade for the first time. It's black blade emitted a thin grey vapor, "Like it? I mixed this vemon myself! It's a rather potent recipe... let's see what was it again? One part Ice Keese Venom... two parts Poe's Blood... one part Krayt Dragon Venom."

The Black sword slashed down and cleaved Link's sword from it's hilt, the blade rebounded off of the edge of the monolith and vanished over the edge. Dark Link then pressed the blade to his twin's throat, "I highly suggest you yield... no need to make this messy, you understand... I rather like this place in it's clean state."  
>His red eyes flashed malevolently, "Do as I say, and I swear upon my own life, that I will make your death quicker and more painless than falling into molten magma... what say you?"<p>

Link growled and raised his left hand. And gripped the black blade, "I say this: You are pathetic." Before the shadow could blink, the Ordonian dropped and swept Dark Link's legs out from under him. With a startled squawk, Dark Link was thrown from the monolith and fell shrieking, "CURSE YOOOOOOOOU!" A sickening crunch stopped the enraged cry short.

Shuffling to the edge of the cliff, Link glanced down at the Shadow's crumpled form. Right before his eyes, the body melted and vanished on the wind. A long drawn-out wail followed as the sour odor of hot metal and burnt flesh filled the still forest air.

"That's the end of that."

An etherial voice released a single haunting note into the air. Link turned and watched as the light condensed into the shape of a square stone pedestal. A longsword materialized above it with it's blade pointing skyward. Its handle gleamed with the blue of a serene forest lake, but it's blade gleamed with a soft bluish light.

As he stared, the symbol of the Royal Family, The Triforce and The Pheonix, blazed in the air.

"Hm hm hmm... as I anticipated... you truly are the Hero! I wish I could say the iconic 'I knew it', but I must say... I had my doubts that you could be he."

Treyus appeared, smiled first... if that's the correct wording for it. (As he materialized, his gleaming teeth seemed to be the most substantial part of him.)

"The Blade of Evil's Bane." He looked lovingly at the hovering sword, "Part of my own power is housed in this blade..." His twin amethyst eyes fixed on the green-clad warrior, "Upon proving yourself by defeating your own inner darkness... the Sword has chosen you to be it's wielder... you should feel honored, there have only been six heroes before yourself to earn the sword's alliegence."

Link grinned wide enough to give the Sage of Shadows a run for his rupees, "Was there any doubt?"

"I thought I made that clear a moment ago? But there is no need to get cocky... that is the one thing that has gotten the best of any of your predecessors, reckless courage has more or less become the Hero of Time's trademark."

Striding over to the levetating blade, Link extenede his left hand to grip the iridescent blue hilt. A bolt of white fire shot up his arm and stabbed at his brain.

"AH! What the?" A black liquid dripped from his palm.

"It seems your recklessness caused you to make a mistake... did he not tell you that his blade was poisoned?"

A streak of dark grey raced up his veins and into Link's throat, "WHAT THE...?" His vision darkened. The world around him transistioned to shades of grey, black and white.

"What's happening?"

Treyus smirked, "It would seem as though you were exposed to unspeakable evil... oh dear."

"You mean!"

"Yes... you have the Eyes of Darkness... I'm terribly sorry." Treyus drew his cloak about him and vanished.

His knees buckled... The Eyes of Darkness? How in blue blazes did he end up like this?  
>As his despair swarmed his mind, the Master Sword's glow intensified and dimmed as if trying to get the young hero's attention.<p>

Link glanced up and frowned at the blazing sword.

A breeze-like voice filled his mind, "_Take it... you'll need it_."

His hand extened once more. His trembling fingers curled around the cool metal, and a blast of heat surged up his arm and concentrated on his face. It felt like his eyes had been placed against a firebrand.

Tears streamed down his face. But all he could think about was the searing pain... pain that seemed to meld each second and passing hour into a miasma of endless torment.

"OPEN YOUR EYES!" A low gutteral voice filled his mind.

He wrenched his eyes open and gasped. His eyes were no longer seeing in monochromatic tones... but now the shades and highlights had grown to become more pronounced among the endless pastels of the world he was used to. Somehow, the Master Sword's magic had blended the ocular focus of the Eyes of Darkness, with his usual eyesight.

His new sight latched onto the visage of the Deku and Blue Oak around him. The Deku's chocolate brown bark had become a mixture between a dark earthy brown and a cloying dark grey... it's verdant leaves were now a more pronounced mix between green, blue and golden yellow.

Blinking once or twice to test the reality of his newfound ocular abilities... the vision did not fade. His curse, if he indeed _still had a curse_, had become recessive.

At least for now... he may be spared the fate of the Prince.

Forcing himself to his feet, he gazed at the mythical blade now clutched in his left hand. It's auric glow cast a ghostly light across the monolith's summit.

He now posessed the blade. He was the Hero of Time.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the long wait my friends! I recieved my College Refund check in the mail and I had some shopping to do! Word of warning... if you buy a cheese called 'Belgian Blu'... don't eat it by itself... I made that mistake and discovered why it is reverently refered to as 'dangerous' by my friends and family. It strated off with a slightly pleasant tang... which quickly morphed into a overpowering taste not unlike alchohol and... vomit... I think it was the characteristic penecillin mold that did that.<strong>

**Anyway! I bid you happy reading!**

**"He who slings mud... generally loses ground." - Benjamin Franklin, on the rivalry between the media and John Adams.**

**Until Next Time!**


	9. More History

**The last chapter came and went a little too quickly for my taste... Oh well, I suppose I'll have to make this chapter longer. Buckle up Ladies and Gentlemen, you're in for a ride.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The Sword's phantasmic glow sent chills down his spine.<p>

As he turned and swung the sword to test it's dexterity and weight, he caught a fleeting reflection of his own face.

His eyes.

They were no longer the bright emerald green he had been born with... they were now a cold steel grey.

"_That's right... you've changed boy... now you can sense us_." A voice filled with the same cold emotion as a bloodthirsty serpent filled his mind.

"_The time has come... I shall rise again... there is nothing that shall remain safe... your blood will be mine... Hero_."  
>The voice faded like mist in the wind.<p>

The Master Sword flashed and sent a surge of warm energy up Link's arm.

"Listen not to the Dark One. Your destiny cannot be ignored... as The Hero of Time, it is your duty to protect those you love... I shall help you."

Right before his eyes, a small orb of blue light coalesced on the blade's point. A pair of gossamer dragonfly wings sprouted from the orb.

"What the?"

The orb ejected from the end of the sword like a bullet and orbited his head squealing, "Wheeeeeee!"

"What the hell is this!"

Changing direction, the miniscule creature flitted towards his face and hovered an inch from his nose.

"I'm Jess! Nice to meet you!"

"W-what are you?"

The creature's glow faded. It's true form finally exposed, Link gasped, "Y-you're a Fairie!" Jess was indeed a fairie... but upon a closer inspection, she had the complete form of an adult female.

"Yup! I'm your new guardian. The Goddess Nayru sent me!" She smiled widely and crossed her arms, "My first order of business is to get to know you! Firstly, what's your name?"

"Um... it's Link."

"Link? ...That's just like the last Hero... what, are you guys all related or something?" Jess leaned closer to the Ordonian's face and giggled, "You don't look like him... but you are cute though!"

"W-what!"

"Nothing. Now... I need to tell you some things." Levitating past his left ear, she landed on his shoulder and sat down, "You and I are going to be partners. If you need help, just ask me I am from the Goddess of knowlege so I know almost everything about the creatures that roam this land."

Turning his head to glance at her out of the corner of his eye, Link frowned, "Why would I need help?"

Jess pouted and crossed her arms, "Fine then, I'll just tell Nayru that you don't need help!"

"No no no! Its just... I'm a little new to this 'Hero' thing, forgive me if I seem like a... dunce." She chuckled and poked his cheek.

"Don't worry, I was only pulling your leg!"

"You're a little small for that aren't you?" Link grinned.

"Aw come on! Always the short jokes... I hate you." Mirroring her motions from earlier, she folded her arms and turned her nose up.

"I apologize."

Her wings perked up and carried her in front of his face, "I accept!" She smiled and crossed her arms.

"Okay? What's next?"

"Ah! You know... I don't know."

"May I make a suggestion?"

Both the Fairie and Link turned to the voice. There stood King Largos. He smiled and held out his hands, "Link... seeing you there... holding the mythical Master Sword, you truly do look like the Hero of Legend."

"Y-your Majesty?" Link stuttered.

"Yes. Treyus came to me and told me of your accomplishments... I am proud of you my boy!"

The Ordonian scowled, "Did he tell you what happened?" Link pointed angrily to his face.

Largos sighed and bowed his head, "Yes he did. A truly unfortunate development, but it can't be helped now... the only thing we can do is hope that you shall find a cure on your travels."

"Travels? What makes you think I want to be a hero?" Link thrust the tip of the Master Sword into the stone and crossed his arms, "Ever since the moment I left Ordon, its been one change of plans after another... I suppose you could say 'no rest for the dead'?"

The King lowered himself onto a stone, grunting with the effort as he did so, "Link, I understand your exasperation, I really do... But what you must understand is that the Hero's Path will always be fraught with peril believe me, I know."

"How do you know anything about the Hero's Path?" Link frowned.

Largo's gaze locked on the Master Sword, "There is another secret of the Royal Family that you don't know..." The King's gaze hardened, "I know that the Royal Bloodline's history can be rather confusing at times, but most people don't know the whole history. There are three parts..." Largos lifted his hand and held up his fingers one at a time, "The Ruling Family... The Knight's Line... and finally... The Hero's Line."  
>His hand dropped to his knee, "The Ruling Family, as you might have guessed, is that which takes the throne... The Knight's Line is that which comprises the Royal Guard... You might say that Leon De Grance, the ex-captain is a relative of yours."<br>Largos smirked at Link, "Your own Family... is that of The Hero's Line."

"Wait..." The Ordonian's gaze locked on the King, "So... my whole family..."

"Is destined to hold the Master Sword... your ancestor Izuna Hakan Hylia was chosen to forge the Master Sword, because of who he was. That sword you hold, is infused with his own blood..." Largos stood and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "You and you alone can use that sword to it's fullest extent... its power is yours to command as long as you live."

Jess hovered in the King's face, "You're the King?"

"Oh? A fairy! I haven't seen one of your kind for many a year!" Largos leaned inward and examined the minute creature.

"Erm... could you..."

Largos chuckled when he caught her meaning, "Of course, sorry... so would it be safe to assume that you are now Link's partner?"

Jess nodded, "Uh huh! Nayru herself sent me to guide him."

"Excellent! As to your earlier dilemma, I suggest you come with me to the Castle... Link is supposed to duel Rusl in a few days."

Link nodded, "Yeah, I had almost forgotten about that."

"Well then, let's be off!"

* * *

><p><strong>Jess the Fairy? I figured a four-letter name was appropriate, Navi, Tatl and Tael were each four-lettered as you can see for yourself. I thought about using something more 'navigation-based' but I couldn't think of anything. Navi is an abriviation of Navigation... and Tatl... well I suppose it means 'Tattle Tale', but what can you do huh?<strong>

**Until Next Time!**


	10. Spirit

**The Duel... Not quite yet. Link needs to learn how to control combat magic before I plunge him into an all-out duel with a seasoned Warrior. (Even if Link's luck helps him out of most situations.)  
>The Master Sword will play an integral part in this chapter, (as it will in others), Remember, no one has seen the sword since the last hero. Which was a century earlier.<strong>

**Link: "Please tell me there won't be anymore creepy appearances by sages or Kings?"**

**Me: "Why? I thought you were supposed to be recklessly courageous?"**

**Link: "Who told you that? Sometimes my publicist over-exaggerates things."**

**Me: "Really? And how does that make you feel?"**

**Link: "..."**

**Me: "Good."**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"How did you get here?" Link asked as they traversed down the stairs.<p>

Largos grinned, "Why Link! You underestimate me, I traveled her by portal of course." Gesturing grandly at a stone archway at the stair's base, a thin stream of blue energy emerged from his fingertips and coated the space in the arch like a window. "This portal is directly linked with a mirror in my chambers, we can return through here."

The Hero's eyebrows lifted in amazement, "Can you teach me?"

"No, unfortunately... portals are strictly linked to points of high magical concentration in our land." The King frowned, "A true pity, it would make travel so much quicker across our land."

Link nodded his agreement and watched Largos vanish through the whirling maelstrom of magic.

A light bump on his left temple alerted him to Jess' words, "What are ya waiting for? Go on!" When he did not respond, she flew behind him and pressed against the small of his back, "Move it!"

Taking a shaky step forward, the world melted into a haze of muffled sound and blurred color. He tried to think. He tried to speak. But those basic functions seemed to escape him.

Jess materialized on the tip of his nose and giggled like a little girl, "Cool it, there's no need to struggle. Portals only force travelers to stay still so nothing is lost in the transition."

Link nodded his understanding and ceased to move. Several minutes later, the pressure on his body lessened and the miasma of color began to coalesce into a vaguely recognizable shape. The grey background smoothed out into a sturdily built stone wall with several richly decorated tapestries hanging at ten foot intervals around the room.

The King stood with his back to the mirror as Link stepped out, "I trust things went fairly well on your journey?"  
>When Largos did not turn, Link's vision turned grey briefly; then a voice in the back of his mind growled, "<em>Evil...<em>" His whole body went numb. The hair on his arms stood on end as the air filled with raw energy.

"Heh... I hear that you require training in the use of magic?" Largos turned. His face was a pallid green like that of a corpse that had been underwater for several years.  
>"Fortunately, the king has seen fit to ask me to oversee your training. My name is Vesanus." He bowed deeply.<p>

Link swept the Master Sword from it's sheath and bared it at Vesanus, "Where is Largos?"

"The King? He is in the throne room... he asked me to meet you here."

"What are you?"

"Ah... I am Gerudo... I know about the reputation my people carry, but I assure you Lord Ganondorf's time has long passed. I am merely here as an ambassidor." Vesanus bowed his head and touched his forehead, "I also have heard of your... qualifications. Imagine that, a boy from Ordon is found to be the last heir of the First King's youngest son."

As Vesanus spoke, a tingling sensation filled Link's mind. This man was evil, he could feel it.

"It is an honor most high my leige." Vesanus bowed even lower.

"That's all well and fine...Vesanus, but why would the King choose you to train me in magic? Are you a Sorcerer of some sort?"

"That I am... I am trained in the usage of Spirit Magic. After all, my people guard the Spirit Temple so it is only right and proper... Ah! And with your new status as the Hero of Time, you must also be trained in the usage of the six Elemental magics." His cloak billowing like windswept darkness, Vesanus raised his arms and uttered a few unintelligible words.  
>The world around the both of them faded behind a light haze, the walls twisting and contorting into shapes that could never be assumed by physical material.<p>

"Welcome my lord... To Regna Spirituum. The Realm of Spirits." Vesanus gestured at twisted walls. A long drawn-out howl echoed like a long-forgotten memory.

"What the?" Jess appeared from under link's hat and gasped.

"Ah! You have a fairy? I am not surprised, it is customary for the Hero to have a guardian." The Gerudo turned from Link and drew a deep breath, "I love this place!" Another echoing scream filled the air. "Mind them not young Hero. They are only the spirits of the dead... this world is their domain, but they may not harm those still among the living."

"Why did you bring me here?" Link gripped the Master Sword tighter.

"Only to teach you what you need to know about Spirit Magic." Vesanus smiled wildly, "Here in this world, you may learn things that would take an Acolyte many years to learn. As a practitioner of magic, I can impart to you vast knowledge of Spirits." He waived his hand, a long thin stream of orange energy cascaded from his fingers like a shower of water. The surrounding air crackled with energy. "Unlike others of my race, I alone possess the ability to directly control the spirits of the dead." A wide maniacal grin spread across his face. The mist around them collapsed into dense knots and began taking on vaguely human shapes.

Link lifted the Master Sword warily and shouted, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Vesanus looked taken aback, "Why... teaching you how to wield Spirit Magic of course."

"By summoning creatures? Aren't there some kind of exercises or tests?"

Vesanus chuckled heartily and lowered his raised arms, "What do you take me for? We do not have the time to run over course-work! I am going to implant the necessary into your soul." With a light flick of his wrist, the half-formed spirits charged Link from all sides.  
>With a shout, Link swung at the immaterial beings but to no avail. he collapsed with a pained grimace on his face.<p>

"LINK!" Jess shouted and dove into the cloud of mist that surorunded his prone form. A few breathless moments later, Link emerged with an enraged expression on his elven face.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF DIN WERE YOU THINKING? I OUGHTA CLEAVE YOUR SLACK-JAWED HEAD IN TWO!" He raised his sword to execute said attack, but Vesanus stopped him with a grin.

"Can you not feel the powers flowing and ebbing inside of you? You are now a fully-fledged master of Spirit."

The Ordonian froze. Vesanus was right! He could feel an odd weightless sensation in his chest behind his heart. Jess popped up next to his dazed face, "That was completely unorthodox! Just you wait until Nayru hears of this!"

"Easy there my minuscule friend... It was the only way to convey to Link all of the information he required! I apologize if my method startled you, but as I have been saying, it was the only way."

Jess did not seem convinced. She landed on Link's shoulder and crossed her arms defiantly, "It still was unorthodox!"

Link, who had been speechless the entire time, smirked and raised his left hand to eye level. A thin amber mist effervesced from his fingertips and dripped to the ground like liquid. "This is amazing! I can really control the spirits of the dead?"

"Yes. In order to make the exchange stable, I imparted some of my own abilities to you." Vesanus wagged a finger, "But you must not use your powers for the next two days. We do not want your body attempting a relapse until it has had time to suppress all of the energy inside of you."

Link nodded absently and looked at the fairy on his shoulder, and frowned at her disapproving expression, "Rupee for your thoughts?"

She scowled and stuck out her tongue, "They're worth more than that."

"How much?"

"You don't have enough to afford me hon."

"Alright, I concede five rupees!" A sarcastic grin signalled his humor. But Jess did not seem amused.

"Go jump into a swamp!"

"Jeeze! looks to me as though someone could use a time-out!" His eyebrows cinched together.

"You wouldn't dare!"

Link growled, "Try me, Pixie."

She stood and pressed her nose to his. Vesanus gave a sharp 'ahem' and startled them out of their argument, "If you don't mind, would you like to return to the realm of the living?"

Jess scoffed, "If we must."

"Very well." Vesanus spread his hands, and the haze faded. The walls returned to their original shape. "I suggest you return to your chambers Master Link, and recover your strenght." With a wide smile, he vanished through the door.

* * *

><p><strong>My dearest friends. I apologize for the delay, the next week will be finals week. I shall remain ever faithful to finishing this story, but I must pay some measure of attention to my studies. (Even though I haven't done any proper work for a while now.)<strong>

**With that, I bid you happy reading and farewell.**


	11. A Twist In Time

**Alright, I have to brag about this little development! On the 22nd, I finally obtained my copy of The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword for Wii, I spent the last three days on my Wii and beat it last night with a time of 44 hours, 31 minutes and 33 seconds. That has got to be a record. On the plus side, I now have a bus-load of new ideas to pump into this story! I hope you enjoy it!**

**Let the Trials begin!**

**Link: "What?"**

**Me: "Nothing."**

* * *

><p>The trek back to the room was the perfect opportunity to think. Or so he thought.<p>

"What in the hell is going on? This journey is going nowhere fast." Link grumbled to the empty stone corridor. Jess appeared from under his hat and chuckled.

"You worry too much... all you need to do is look closely at your situation!"

"What do you mean?"

"Please don't make me use the metaphor."

"What metaphor?"

"Look beyond what you see."

Link frowned at the glowing orb, "Now that's just maddeningly unhelpful." With no prelude at all, Link walked head-first into a lone suit of armor sending both it and him tumbling to the floor with a reverberating crash.  
>"OW! OF ALL THE PLACES TO PUT A SUIT OF ARMOR!" With little to no semblance of composure he stood and kicked the armor across the hall.<p>

"You need to control your temper Link."

"I haven't got a temper!" He shouted back.

"Is that any way to speak to the Princess?"

Link whirled around and blushed, "Oh um, sorry your majesty... I sorta..."

"I know. I watched you walk right into it." Zelda smiled consolingly, "You would not believe how many times people actually do what you just did. Its a miracle any of these old relics are still able to stand."

Chuckling nervously Link stepped closer and scratched the back of his head, "Sorry you had to see that."

"Its no trouble... Have you seen my father? I needed to speak with him about the duel tomorrow."

"TOMORROW?"

"Yes tomorrow! Where have you been?"

Link folded his arms across his chest and huffed, "Apparently I just spent the past two days in complete ignorance of time... let's see, I passed the test of the Forest of Souls... learned to control Spirit Magic... now I've just learned that took me two days to do." A sour look on his face told her that he was not happy.

"It matters not. How did you learn to control Spirit Magic?"

With a blank expression on his face, Link simply stated, "Vesanus."

Zelda blanched, "Vesanus? You met Vesanus?"

He nodded, "Yes what's wrong?"

Drawing a deep breath as if preparing to deliver a speech, Zelda whispered, "Vesanus is dead... he died at the end of the Sheikah Rebellion almost a hundred years ago."

"But... how did he... How could I have talked with him then?"

"I do know that he was a master of Spirit Magic... he could have very well been talking to you through the spirit realm."

"That's encouraging."

Zelda chuckled lightly and turned, "Would you mind following me?"

"Ok..."

**Link's POV**

Jess stopped on my shoulder and yawned, "I'm going to take a bit of a nap if you don't mind. Guiding a hero can be hard work."

"What do you mean by hard?"

"Oh sometimes the hero can be as hard-headed as a mule… besides I'm tired, wake me up in a few hours." With that she vanished into my cap and said no more.

Zelda tugged me down the hallway and grinned, "I am glad to see you safe and whole… but there is something I must tell you."  
>She lowered her head and blushed, "I have spoken with my father already… and he agrees." Her red face lifted to mine.<p>

I knew what was coming… something about her attitude was putting me on edge. I don't like it when I'm on edge.

"Link I… I lo…"

As luck and fate would have it, the Castle rocked. I don't mean that in a good way either. The halls shuddered and buckled, something was wrong. And that something required my attention.  
>Zelda gripped the front of my tunic, her eyes wide with fear at the sudden vibrations, "W-what is that?"<p>

I shook my head and darted down the hall toward the Throne room. Hopefully the King might be able to shed some light on this situation.

The halls were filled with rubble and displaced servants. The door to the Throne Room hung at an odd angle from its golden hinges, angry voices echoing from the corridor beyond.

"…hat are you doing here?" Largos shouted from his seat.

Maniacal laughter echoed around the room, "I thought you'd be happy to see me after so long my liege!"

It was Vesanus.

"I just helped your Hero learn the secret ways of Spirit Magic… is that not enough to earn my place in your good graces my Lord?" His condescending tone sent needles of outrage through my veins.

"Nothing you could possibly do could earn you my trust Vesanus." Largos' dark brown beard bristled as he spoke, "You are a black-hearted wretch and deserve to spend eternity in the deepest pit of hell!"

Vesanus smiled maliciously and pointed at the seated King, "No my Lord… you should spend eternity in Hell."

I drew the Master Sword and smashed the gilded door aside, "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Vesanus turned and slashed the air, a streamer of red energy whirled through the air toward me.

"Ah the young hero, you arrived sooner than I expected… but your timing is impeccable." His black teeth gleamed as he smiled, "See you outside my friend."

I swung my sword to deflect the blast, but the Master Sword caught the edge of the blast and was torn from my hands. The aftershock slammed into my chest and knocked me down.

Vesanus turned back to the King, "Now where were we?"

A servant darted in front of the throne and threw out his arms, "You'll not harm him here Gerudo!" At first I thought it was a servant, but his black robes and purple tunic identified him as a Sheikah.

"UBITO NO!"

Ubito glanced at the King over his shoulder, "Let me deal with this my Lord!" The Sheikah's red eyes fixed on Vesanus "Fight me, if you dare."

Vesanus made a lazy gesture with his hand, sending Ubito flying sideways. Just when I thought the King had reached his end, Ubito pulled a long curved sword from under his cloak and dove at Vesanus' feet.  
>Vesanus raised his leg and kicked at the sword which staggered Ubito.<p>

I kept digging around in the rubble searching for the sword, "Come on! Where is it?" I rolled a large chunk of marble aside and spotted the sword with its blade sunk into the wall.

"GOTCHA!" I seized the amethyst handle and tugged it free.

Vesanus stood with an orb of bloody energy in his hand, a snarl contorting his face, "I've had all I can take from you! DIE!" Vesanus hurled the orb at Ubito. Ubito stared in disbelief at the projectile sailing towards his face.

This was it… I had one shot. The Master Sword thrummed with energy as I swung wide; my target was small… but not small enough.  
>I brought my arm back and released. The Sword's aura flared and coalesced at its point, a shred of that energy broke free from the sword and screamed through the air toward the orb of energy; and collided inches from the Sheikah's face sending orange sparks spraying across the room. I gestured for Ubito to grab Largos and run.<p>

Vesanus turned on me like a feral wolf, "YOU! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Vesanus clenched his right hand so hard; blood seeped from between his fingers, "YOU TRAITOROUS DOG! I GAVE YOU SPIRIT POWER AND YOU REPAY ME LIKE THIS?"

I did the one thing I knew would only enrage the Gerudo even more. I smiled.  
>"You expect that to earn my allegiance?"<p>

Vesanus' eyes bulged out of his head, "WHY YOU… YOU'LL… I'LL KILL… DIE!" The blood dripping from his hand solidified and lengthened into a dark-red sword. He snorted like a bull and charged at me swinging wildly.

If I'd learned anything about swordsmanship, it was one thing: An easy opponent to defeat is one who's angry and cares nothing for finesse.  
>That's exactly what Vesanus was.<p>

He swung over his head intending to strike me from above. I ducked under it and stabbed. The Master Sword glanced off his bare chest with a resounding CLANG! I jumped back out of his reach and stared.

The flesh of his chest had darkened to a pitch black. He was staring at me with a gleam in his eye, "What's the matter? Did I forget to mention that I am impervious to sword strikes? You may have noticed already, but my skin is harder than most types of steel… more than enough to block most of the feeble attacks you can dish out." Vesanus cackled wildly and stretched his left hand toward me.  
>"I seem to remember that you are as of yet untrained in the mystical arts… HOW UNFORTUNATE!" His sentence was punctuated by a blast of hot air that pressed me to the wall.<br>"Don't be scared my boy… You have not earned a proper death by my hand just yet. But you have earned the right to watch me kill your precious Princess." With his sword he pointed to the Door and made a 'come hither' gesture with the blade. Zelda flew through the opening with a scream. Vesanus grabbed her by the throat in midair and grinned, "I saw in your soul… just how much you treasure this girl… you are just simply obsessed with this fair maiden aren't you? Too bad… Love can be the most dreadful of bonds."  
>The red in his eyes flared brighter; his sword rose and pressed to her exposed throat, "I will enjoy your screams of anguish at her passing <em>Link<em>… but I sincerely hope you won't give up just yet. I do so enjoy torture… but what to do? Should I kill her and watch you despair… or should I torture her and watch you share her pain?"

Zelda's eyes bespoke an all-consuming fear. Something I was not going to allow.  
>I began to struggle. The invisible bonds of his spell constricted as my muscles flexed.<br>Vesanus' sword pressed tighter to her throat, "Ah, ah, ah… you wouldn't want her to die too slowly now would you?"

That tears it. I struggled earnestly now… I was desperate to break free and free her.

A look of disappointment crossed the Gerudo's features, "Well… if that's the way you want things to go."  
>His head tilted forward to observe the sword's progress across her flesh.<p>

With a final burst of effort the spell shattered. Shards of scarlet energy sprayed the floor like glass. Vesanus' head snapped up, "NO!" He threw Zelda at me and exploded.  
>The room filled with a blaze of light, I caught Zelda and turned to shield her from the spell.<p>

My feet left the ground… All I registered was a blunt force pushing me through the castle toward one of the gaping holes that had opened in the Castle walls.

After a few moments I opened my eyes. Hyrule Field rushed by below. Zelda hung limp in my arms, either the spell or the severity of the situation had knocked her out cold.  
>I looked up to see a grassy hill rushing toward us; I turned us over so Zelda was above. Several seconds later I landed with enough force to drive the air from my lungs; luckily enough Zelda had escaped the crash landing unscathed. The only wounds I could see was a thin cut on her neck… it bled freely, but wasn't deep enough to puncture her windpipe. Thank God.<p>

A tremor rocked the ground. The Castle.

The Castle rumbled and shook, bursts of red light spraying through the breaches in its marble walls. Vesanus was destroying the Castle.

* * *

><p><strong>Original POV<strong>

The world twisted and contorted with each wave of energy from the structure.  
>Link's lone form outlined by the wild bursts of energy and light stood with surprising ease before the tempest.<p>

Link smiled as the castle pulsed once more. Even though the very seat of the Royal Family was crumbling before his eyes, an unusual calm enveloped his heart and mind… He felt at peace.  
>The same however could not be said for Zelda who had awoken and now stood several yards behind.<p>

"LINK! M-MY FATHER!"

The Hylian turned with a look of surprise on his face, "But I thought he got out with Ubito?"

Zelda shook her head. Link turned back to the destruction unfolding before the eyes of the city's now-displaced citizens. This was Vesanus' fault… And by the Gods… he was going to pay.

His grip tightened on the violet hilt of the Master Sword. Of all the blasted things that has happened on this journey… I had to be the cause of King Largos' death.  
>Link started as a deep deranged chuckle echoed across the field, the sound possessed a note of the purest evil that sent a cold thrill down your spine with each throaty warble.<p>

"Hm hm hmm… hah hah haahaahahaha… Amazing Hero, simply amazing." Vesanus' black swathed form appeared on a high stone ridge above the field, Death Mountain hung in the background like the shadow of death itself.  
>"Of all the people I least expected to escape that spell… I never once imagined you would be the one to do so." He brought his gloved hands together in mocking applause, "And it seems you managed to bring the precious Princess Zelda with you… once again, I concede amazement."<p>

"Why not come down here so we can talk face-to-face?" Shouted Link, his voice remained as steady as the Gerudo's.  
>"What? Do you really think me so… simple? I know enough about my predecessor's exploits to see right through your little trick <em>Hylian<em>… You shall find that I am not prone to ill-planned stabs at my pride and sense of propriety." Vesanus' face split into a maniacal grin.

"Very well, I suppose that means I have to come up there myself?"

"I'm afraid not… but I shall meet you in battle nonetheless… thought not here or now." Vesanus made a gesture at Link's feet, six black crystal daggers materialized and sped toward the hero's feet burying themselves deeply in the soil.

"I think three-hundred years ought to be the perfect amount of time… Ta ta for now my boy, Oh! And be sure to tell my Father I said 'Hi'."

For several seconds nothing happened; Link stared dumbly at the weapons, and then turned his attention to the top of the ridge, "That's it?"

Vesanus grinned, "Not quite."

The daggers burst into flame, each one burning in a different color, Green, Blue, Red, Gold, Violet and Orange. The fires leapt from their blades and streaked across the ground toward the next closest blade, forming a flaming hexagon around Link.  
>Zelda's eyes widened in fear as she realized what this was, her voice rose into a blood-curdling scream, "LINK! RUN IT'S A TEMPORAL DISTORTION!"<p>

The Hylian turned to the Princess with a question on his lips. The question remained unasked. A sheet of white fire rose high into the sky enveloping the green-clad warrior, the air filled with the sound of a thunderclap. Zelda shielded her eyes from the flash straining toward the spot where the hero stood. When the afterimage faded from her vision she began scanning the area for any sign of her cousin… but knew in her heart that Link was no longer in this world. The hexagon formed by the daggers held only a swirling column of grey smoke.

Vesanus' cold laughter sounded across the field, mingling with the Princess' unrestrained sobs.  
>"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA! YOUR BELOVED HERO IS NO MORE!" The Gerudo's red eyes blazed with insane glee.<p>

Zelda turned her gaze on the sorcerer far above, anger of the darkest kind painted her vision crimson.

* * *

><p>Slowly opening his eyes, Link groaned as a dull thumping filled his ears. Whatever Vesanus had done, it had affected him rather strongly.<br>After a few moments of recovery he began groping blindly in the darkness for the Master Sword. Several desperate seconds later his left hand closed over the familiar steel handle, he heaved a sigh of relief and hoisted himself to his feet.

It was obviously sometime after nightfall… to his dismay he remembered that tonight was the night of the new moon so… no moonlight to help him figure out where he was.

"Blast it all…"

A thought occurred to him. Focusing his thoughts onto his right hand, he reached out into the air before him; his hand vanished into the pocket dimension he had created to carry his equipment. Several seconds later he withdrew his lantern and cast a fire spell on the wick; the oil popped and flickered into a weak blaze, but was just enough for him to realize that he was in a forest.  
>Well that narrowed it down a little… there were only three forests he knew of in Hyrule, The Lost Woods… The Sacred Grove… and Faron Woods… so no big deal, right?<p>

Wrong.  
>A long drawn-out howl echoed in the chill night air. Wolfos… that was not good at all, especially since they were slowly but surely developing intelligence in their own twisted fashion. The last one he had the displeasure of slaying had attempted some form of speech, and its words had not sounded all too friendly at all.<p>

A twig snapping in the underbrush to his right put him on the alert. Holding the faintly glowing sword toward the sound he shouted, "Who goes there?"  
>No answer.<p>

Except for another evil howl several hundred yards behind him.

Link turned toward the sound and pointed the Master Sword to the sky. The blade's glow intensified and emitted a dull humming noise, it wasn't very often he had the opportunity to use the Skyward Strike… but when he did use it, it often tipped the odds of a battle in his favor.  
>"I'm warning you; whoever you are I suggest you show yourself before I destroy a large patch of this forest." It wasn't a very confident sounding threat, but it seemed to have done its job. A small girl with green hair and an equally green outfit stepped out from behind a Deku tree.<br>Lowering his sword, Link frowned… He knew what this girl was… but he was having a hard time processing the implications.

"Wha… W-who are you?"

The girl blushed slightly and curtsied, "My name is Saria…"

"Y-you're a Kokiri aren't you?"

Saria nodded.

Funny… The Kokiri were supposed to have vanished after the Imprisoning War. If that was the case then what in the name of Din's Fire was this girl doing here?  
>Through his deliberations a single question occurred to him.<p>

"What year is it?" The question sounded like it was coming from a lost child looking for his mother.

Saria stared blankly back at Link, and then said matter-of-factly, "390 A.I. of course where have you been?"

The world spun around Link's head. The date was wrong… the year was 93 A.I. (After the Imprisoning War), how in blazes could that be?

"Who are you?" Saria asked curiously. Her bright green eyes were so disarmingly innocent; it was hard to believe that the Kokiri were immortal.  
>Nonetheless Link smiled at her despite his shock, "Link…"<br>The girl's eyes lit up at his name, "Link? How old are you?"

"Nineteen… you?"

"487." He had been expecting that, but it still caught him off guard. This girl was immortal after all.  
>But aside from the metabolism of the forest spirits, he had to figure out this conundrum before things really got out of hand. The first question was an obvious one, where to start? Zelda had said something before this whole nightmare started… something about a Temporal Distortion? Well at least he had a name for the cause, and hopefully there was someone who could provide an explanation for it.<p>

"Saria?"

"Hm?" The Kokiri continued to gaze curiously at the hero.

"Do you know of anyone who can answer some questions for me?" Worth a shot, but hopefully his luck would pay off again… as it usually did when he was royally screwed.

To his surprise she nodded vigorously, "Uh huh! The Great Deku Tree! He knows everything!"

"Great! Can you take me to it?"

"Yeah! Follow me!" Without another word she latched onto his arm and proceeded to drag him through the forest in a northerly direction. Hopefully this little trek would end with some good plain answers, before he went mad of course.

* * *

><p>The sky had slowly darkened since the day Link had vanished. Though she knew why he was gone, it still did not lessen the impact the land had experienced. Vesanus had employed a method that no one had ever dared use… The Sage's Temporal Displacement Spell. And from the sound of Vesanus' and Link's conversation, Link was now three hundred years in the past or future… the past being more likely.<br>The strangest thing though, was not Link's disappearance but Vesanus' last words to the hero, 'Oh! And be sure to tell my father I said 'hi'.' What was the meaning of that? Well if that were anything to go by, it was likely that Link was now in the past, where else could the Gerudo's father be?

The door of her chamber swung open with enough force to mar the brass knob. Vesanus stepped in with a wide grin on his face, "Ah! My Princess, how are we doing since the destruction of Hyrule? I hope the answer is 'well'." Holding himself like a self-absorbed Noble he walked to the bed and unceremoniously flung himself onto the comforter.  
>Zelda involuntarily flinched away from him as if he were covered in something disgusting. Vesanus noticed.<br>"Oh what's wrong? Do you miss your little lover hero? Don't you worry your pretty little self my dear, Demon Lord Vesanus will protect you from Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes!" Wriggling further up the bed he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, "After all… what's a King without a Queen? A rare flower such as you should be on the arm of the most powerful man in the world." He raised his free arm causing a golden tiara to materialize above his palm.

Zelda shuddered and knocked the tiara away, "GET OUT!"

Vesanus pouted and vanished only to reappear sitting next to her, "Oh come now my dear. Your precious Hero is beyond your reach… even if he supposedly shared Royal Blood with you, there was no way you and he could have been together, surely you knew that? Such is the fate of the Hero's Line." His red eyes glistened like a puppy's, "You and I however can be the greatest couple this world has ever seen… and in interest of your health, I suggest you take my offer before I get upset, take it from my servants… you don't want to see me upset." With that he vanished in a puff of red and black smoke.

Zelda choked back a sob as her eyes passed over a picture of Link on her vanity. His blue eyes seemed to draw her into the picture. She looked away; her eyes came to rest on the tiara sitting in the corner next to the open door.

Something had to be done. But she had no clue what.

* * *

><p>The longer they traveled the more agitated and restless Link became. There were several times when he came close to shouting just to let out some pent-up tension, but he thought better of it… never know what you might alert to your position.<p>

Saria was the only one of the two that seemed perfectly content to keep walking without a single word, that is until she caught sight of the sword strapped to Link's back.

"I-is that…?"

Glancing around for the source of her sudden outburst, Link locked eyes on the sword.

"What? The Sword?"

Saria nodded. Link nearly laughed, she looked so much like a curious child it was unbearable.

"What about it?"

"Is that… The Master Sword?"

Link nodded simply.

"BUT THAT MEANS…! A-are you the Hero of Time?"

"Umm… yeah?"

Saria squealed and hopped up and down, "Then you're here to save us!"

What? What in the name of the Gods was she talking about?  
>"Um, I'm not sure I understand you my dear…"<p>

"The Deku Tree promised us that a Hero would come to save us from Vesanus!"

The Hylian bristled at the name, "Vesanus is here?"

Saria stopped hopping and assumed a surprisingly grim visage, "Yes… he comes to the village every year and takes one of the girls… Dore, Mi and I are the only girls left… Fado and Sore try to stop the Moblins, but they never can." Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, "Please tell me you're here to stop him!"

Link smiled warmly at her and knelt, "Vesanus is the reason I'm here… so you can bet your life that I'll stop him."  
>Saria's eyes lit up like a pair of lanterns, "Thank you."<p>

**Link's POV**

We walked on for another hour at least. Forgive me for saying so, but I think I've just decided I don't like walking… as soon as I locate Epona, I shall never walk anywhere again.

The trees began to thicken, odd how that could happen; I don't know how you could have stuffed anymore trees into this already densely packed forest, but nonetheless the trees grew closer and closer together until the canopy became a single unbroken roof of leaves interwoven into a waterproof shelter. Just up ahead a pair of ghostly green lights hung in the boughs of two fairly young Deku trees; upon first inspection the lights appeared to be a pair of green lanterns, but as we neared the twin trees I realized they were a pair of bomb-sized green crystals.  
>A carved oak plank ran between the Deku trees like the gate that marked the entrance to Ordon. Upon the oak plank a thin line of Hylian runes filled with gold-leaf read: "Welcome to Ildan, Home of The Kokiri."<p>

Saria stopped and smiled, "Welcome to the Kokiri Forest. The Great Deku Tree grows in a glade on the other side of the village. Stay close to me, the other Kokiri will be a little shaken with the appearance of a Hylian in the forest, but the sword on your back will be enough if they ask any questions." She took a step forward and I placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Saria? How do you know about the Master Sword?"

Her eyes stared off into the distance and she chuckled lightly, "Four-Hundred years ago, that sword belonged to a very good friend of mine… you might know him as Link. He was the Hero of Time during the Imprisoning War… I'll tell you more about it later, please follow me." Tears began welling up in her eyes when she finished, but she waived me on and pointed to a cliff that comprised the southeastern border of the village, "That tunnel leads to the Deku Tree's Grove… he'll be able to answer your questions."

The Village was arranged exactly like one would imagine, the houses were carven from the stumps of trees that would have easily been hundreds of feet high; on the western side of the village a house that was situated higher up than the others appeared to be in total disrepair, but I suppose it could be said that it was aging proudly… moss had grown on almost every available surface minus the ladder which still looked to be new. A red moth-eaten curtain hung in the doorway… the house looked as though it were all-around worthless.

However, as we walked children of every possible size and shape seemed to materialize out of the forest itself. Some had bright golden hair, some had hair as dark as the shadows under pine-trees. But I noticed one thing about the Kokiri… there were only three girls… and six boys.

"Where are all the girls?" I asked.

Saria frowned, "Vesanus… remember what I told you?"

"Oh, yeah…"

"Mimi was taken last week… she, Fado and I were the three oldest among the Kokiri. Now only I remain. No one knows what Vesanus does with them, but I have a feeling I'm next."

A boy of medium height stepped forward with a scowl in his face, "Who are you Hylian?" He drew a dagger from his boot and pointed it at me.

In response I drew the Master Sword and snarled, "I'm here to help… if you'll let me that is…"

His scowl deepened, "You didn't answer my question, who are you?"

"Link."

The looks and gasps of astonishment that passed through the group were comical. The boy sheathed the dagger and smiled, "Good to see you're still alive old friend."

"Huh?"

Saria placed a hand on my belt and addressed the boy, "This isn't him Mido… The Link we knew vanished from Hyrule long ago… remember?"

Mido frowned again and folded his arms across his chest, "Well that just doesn't make sense."

"You know as well as I do that Link left for Termina years ago! Just because someone was named after him doesn't mean a thing. I brought him here to see the Great Deku Tree."

Mido scoffed, "I see how it is! He reminds you of the outcast and now you're best friends with him!" Huffing like a wounded boar he turned on his heel and stomped off.

"He seemed friendly." I quipped. Saria chuckled and tugged my sleeve.

"Don't mind him, he used to be a lot worse than this… he thought for the longest time that he and I were supposed to be boyfriend and girlfriend… but he found out that I had a crush on Link." Her cheeks glowed as she finished the statement.

The implications of that comment brought heat to my face as well. _Why is it all the girls have a crush on me? Looks like this Hero business is more trouble than it's worth._

"Link left after he finished with Gannondorf… no one really knows if he's still alive or not, but I believe he is."

"How could he? It's been a century since he destroyed Gannon right?"

"Wrong… I think you've got your dates mixed up again. I told you it's been four hundred years since I last saw the Master Sword, remember?"

Oh…

"Well… Hylians don't really live that long Saria, in fact the oldest living Hylian is only 135… and even then he can't even remember his own name."

At her downcast face I knew I shouldn't have said that.

"Thanks for the confidence booster."

"Sorry…"

"Here we are!" She pointed at the tunnel mouth. A few high-pitched squeaks betrayed the existence of Keese inside, nothing I couldn't handle.

"The Great Deku Tree is probably expecting us, we shouldn't keep him waiting."

He's a tree for the love of Din! All he can do is wait. Thankfully I didn't say this out loud; it might've gotten me a smack.  
>As we entered the cave, a strange sense of dread crept into my chest… kind of like when you stick your hand in a bucket of ice-water.<br>Saria stepped closer to me and gripped the edge of my tunic. When I looked at her she smiled weakly, "Sorry… it gets a little scary in here at night."

I nodded understandingly and continued on. As I expected six Keese shot down from the ceiling when I got too close, I dispatched the lot of them with a few sword strokes. Saria smiled appreciatively and walked on.

Eventually the tunnel opened on a large shallow bowl several hundreds of feet across gouged into the cliff. The dark bands that marked the walls at different heights suggested that a lake had once been the sole occupant of the depression, but now a monstrous tree several thousands of feet high took up the entire glade. Its dark chocolate-brown bark reminded me of the wizened tree that grows in the Castle Grounds (scratch that _grew_ in the Castle Grounds); but I noticed little aside from the eyes that stared out from the tree-trunk. These eyes examining me were slow and solemn, but very penetrating. They were brown, shot with a green light.  
>It was odd, the feeling they gave me was… it almost felt as though there was a very deep well behind them, filled with ages of memory and long, slow, steady thinking; but the surface was sparkling with the present; like sunlight shimmering on the outer leaves of a tree, or the ripples of a very deep lake. Whatever this thing was… it definitely was not a tree… not entirely anyway.<p>

A deep and powerful voice welled up from the roots, and vibrated up the trunk; sounding almost like it was echoing across a deep valley, but held a raspy quality like that of an old man.  
>"Saria my child, where have you been? And who is this you have with you?" The voice came slow as if the words were being carefully considered before being uttered.<p>

Saria bowed and stepped forward a few feet, "This is Link, Great One."

The eyes turned from her miniscule figure and surveyed me with renewed vigor, "Your sword is most familiar… The Master Sword is it not? The Blade of Evil's Bane… I knew the time had come, I felt it in the earth many days ago… please come closer Link."

A root shot out of the ground and wrapped around my waist to lift me before the Tree's eyes.  
>I struggled and tugged at the wood trying to break free. A little foolish since I knew how strong Deku wood was… I like using it to make sword-hilts.<p>

The Deku Tree chuckled; the sound reminded me of mossy rock tumbling down a hill. "You need not worry young one… I merely wish to get a closer look at you."  
>In response a long thin root curled under my chin and gently forced my head to one side, "You look like the Hero… my senses tell me that you are older than you look… I taste Royal Blood in your skin as well…"<br>The Tree's left eye darkened as he stared at me, "You… are not from this time… are you?"

I shook my head.

"I thought so… allow me to guess…" The ground shuddered as the Deku Tree hummed, "I sense elemental energy about you… You must have used the Forbidden Sage's Temporal Displacement Spell?"

"What?"

"Don't know that one eh? I thought so. Few outside of the Sage's Order know that magic… if you are willing I shall explain it."

The root around my waist relaxed and lowered me back to my natural position.

"Obviously you were a victim of the spell's misuse… it's not very often a person is the spell's target. The first Sages developed the spell to move objects of great importance through time… I believe it was first used on the steel that the Master Sword was forged of." The Deku Tree chuckled, "Fitting I suppose… The spell requires the use of each Sage's power at once, usually channeled through an object of great importance to that Sage. But from the look on your face, I surmise that the items used were the Sage's Hrúthvir… Six daggers carven of a black crystal that forms when Death is cheated of a life… in this case, it is the lives of the Sages themselves."  
>I glanced at Saria, her serene expression replaced with a look of anger.<br>"Those items… are kept by the Sages themselves… but… three-hundred years ago the Six Sages vanished. I believe Vesanus was behind it… he being the Sage of Spirit, it is an act of blasphemy that goes beyond mortal bounds."

"So… what must I do?"

The Tree sounded surprised, "Do? Why must you do anything? You were sent here for a reason, that much is clear… You hold the Master Sword, that is a mark of great importance… few have ever held that blade without first enduring a trial of Power, Courage and Wisdom."

Saria snorted, "Link didn't have to do anything like that!"

"Child… The Link you knew had already proven himself before he was even born… As the Sage of Forest, you above all else should know that."

The Sage of Forest? This girl is the Sage of Forest?

"I see that little revelation came as a shock to you. Saria is the Sage of Forest… but she has not been able to enter the Forest Temple for some time… she has to pray to the Gods or lose her power."

Saria hung her head as if shamed, "I'm sorry Great One, but how can I? The Temple is overrun with Vesanus' Shadii… you know how dangerous they are."

"Indeed… even if you are in an order higher than mine, I will not allow you near that cursed place while they infest it."

I knew where this was going, "I'll help… after all, and I can't get back to my own time if there's work to be done here right?"

The ground rumbled again, "Hmm hmm hmm… you are every bit as eager as your predecessor boy… such is to be expected of humans who share the same name."

Saria gasped, "You'd… you'd really help?"

I smiled, "Of course! You could say that I'm too nice for my own good, but what are heroes for?"

Jess finally decided to show herself from under my hat. She has hardly said a word since our little encounter with Vesanus in the Realm of The Dead.

"What'd I miss?" She yawned.

Saria gaped at the young fairy.

"What?"

"You're… you're a…"

"Fairy? Yes I am… why… haven't seen any of my kind before?" Jess paused for a moment to take a gander at our surroundings, "Where are we?"

"You are in my Sacred Grove young one." The Deku Tree rumbled.

"The Great Deku Tree? I thought you were… dead?"

"Not hardly… what is your name? I don't recognize your face."

"I'm Jess! Servant of Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom!"

The Tree chuckled again, "I thought you were different. Most of the Fairies in my service treat me with reverence… but I do not expect the same of you Servant of The Goddess."

"So… what happened while I was asleep?"

Jess listened intently while I spoke; I noticed that Saria and the Deku Tree were also listening closely. When I began describing the situation in Hyrule Field where the Time spell was cast, The Deku Tree rumbled in anger.

"Vesanus has indeed stolen the Hrúthvir … I had hoped that I was wrong."

When I cast a glance at it, The Deku Tree sighed, "As long as the Hrúthvir are in that traitor's possession… I fear that our world is in grave danger. You have no choice Link… you must recover them."

I nodded my agreement. The Deku Tree rumbled again, "I'm sorry for interrupting, please continue."

Turning back to my fairy guardian, I described my entry into this strange world. Jess nodded as I spoke.

"Honestly I'm surprised I did not hear or feel any of this… I must've been plum tuckered out."

I smiled at her little joke and asked, "What do you think we should do next?"

"What do you think? We need to help Saria get back into the Forest Temple… then we need to find a way to get the Sage's Hrúthvir back from Vesanus."

"Sounds simple enough, but the thing that worries me is not what we need to do… its how we're going to do it."

Jess hovered to my shoulder and landed, "Yeah… I know what you mean. One thing I'm wondering…"

"What?"

"How do you think Zelda is holding up? I'm sure Vesanus found something to do with her now that you are out of his way."

Exactly the very thing that stood at the front of my mind; what has Vesanus done with Zelda? Did the King escape the Castle before it collapsed? But ask as I might, there was nothing for it but to move forward and hope to God that I might find an answer.

"You got me there. I've been worried about her since I woke up in the Forest."

Saria cocked her head, "Zelda? You don't mean the Queen do you?"

I turned to her with shock, "The Queen? You mean there is a Queen named Zelda?"

"Yes… she's been the Ruler of Hyrule for quite a long time. As far as we know, she and Vesanus have been at each other's throats for ages… The Great Deku Tree says she has been on the Throne for two hundred years at least."

The Deku Tree's slow steady voice cut in, "Indeed… I do not remember when she was crowned as Queen, but it has definitely been longer than the normal span of Hylian lifetimes."

At last, a brain-buster! My kind of puzzle… but also the most troublesome. If things were going the way I thought they were, then this Queen might be Zelda. My Zelda.  
>But I have a prior engagement to take care of before I attempt to find her.<p>

"When do you want to depart for the Temple?"

Saria frowned, "Wouldn't you like some rest first?"

"I'll rest when I'm dead, now when would you like to leave?"

"Well… ah… The Temple is several miles from here… at least a day's journey."

The Great Deku Tree rumbled again, "You really ought to think about resting before you attempt the Temple… The Shadii are incredibly dangerous. They are not like any ordinary creature you've faced, of that I'm sure." A thin stream of green energy emanated from the Tree's leaves and settled in the valley around us.  
>"They are neither Man nor Beast… They can control the Shadows in which they reside… Vesanus gifted them with the power to manipulate all known forms of Magic. Once more, I suggest you recover your full strength before you attempt these foes."<br>The green energy condensed into a large swirling cloud before the Tree's eyes. Its center darkened and began to form blurred images.

Then all at once, a tall thin creature wearing black and gold armor over its lean and powerful body materialized in the image. It turned its red eyes on me with a palpable malice. Its head was shaped vaguely like a jackal's, a pair of gleaming white fangs hung over its bottom lip in a sneer that conveyed a deep-set hatred of anything besides its own kind.

"This is the Lord of The Shadii… they are extremely powerful in the ways of magic. I consider it the height of folly to face one unprepared."

The Shadii raised its left hand to expose a long slightly curved sword that pulsed with a misty red energy. My eyes ached at the sight of it, it was evil… evil in every possible use of the word and the Eyes of Darkness were telling me so. In my heart a strong feeling of revulsion rose up with enough force that I almost dry-heaved.

"They also possess a strong aura that inflicts incurable diseases in any creature unfortunate enough to get too close."

Wow… these things were getting better and better with each passing second.

"So… I suppose I could take a little time to rest… if you insist."

The Deku Tree's branches cast their shadows over me in a slightly protective way, "I do… Saria will show you to a spare hut where you can sleep for the night. In the Morning, when you feel you are ready I wish for you to come back to me… there are some things I would like to explain before you vanish into the Forest."

I nodded to the Spirit and turned to the Tunnel.

It's going to be a long night. And something tells me this stage of my journey is not going to be a walk in the forest either.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope I re-worked the story to your liking people… seems as though I have been having trouble acquiring a reliable access port to the Internet. But I have been working diligently to get this blasted story developed and written to proper format, it was about time I posted a good long chapter. Although I have been taking time off to play through Skyward Sword again… apparently there was a secondary mode of play called 'Hero Mode' wherein you lose hearts twice as fast, also hearts do not appear unless you acquire a 'Heart Medal', but even then hearts are still pretty scarce. But in any case I beat it again with a final combined time of 96:34.<strong>

**To clear the question off the table, this is in the future. Three Hundred years after the start of this story. Don't worry about Zelda folks, there is not a snowball's chance in hell I'm going to put her and Vesanus together. That spot belongs to the Hero, and to the Hero alone.**

**((Technically Zelda and Link are cousins, but about thirteen times removed.)**

**If you're wondering about the name of the Kokiri village, I figured I could make up a name since one is not specified in Ocarina of Time. Besides, it seemed so… indifferent to keep calling it 'Kokiri Forest'.**

**The Deku Tree needed a makeover, plus I didn't want to convey its slightly cheesy appearance in Ocarina of Time. Seriously, a face growing out of the trunk? With a mustache to boot?  
>A little too old world.<strong>

**Until the next time I post, I bid you read well and dream on. Imagination is the chisel with which mankind shapes the world around him, keep it sharp or you'll find your path through life less than smooth. (In that case I suggest you use sandpaper.) ;-)**


	12. An Escape Plan

**I do hope that last chapter was not too long for some of you. I just figured I'd better make up for lost time with an extended chapter… though it was extremely lengthy, even for me. But I do intend for this chapter to follow a similar format. By the way, the time skip is rather common throughout the Legend of Zelda saga, but I intend to create a deeper plot with this new addition. Zelda's story is not going to be shown very often, but when it is a little more about Zelda and Link's separate timelines will be shown. Look for the clues, you'll know them when you see them.**

**I recently went and watched some videos on youtube titled 'funny zelda pictures', I have to admit seeing Link in some of the pictures with Zelda... I couldn't help but feel a little proud of him. (I know that sounds a little strange considering they are both fictional figures, but can you blame me? The idea alone is kinda cool.)**

* * *

><p>We traversed the tunnel in relative silence; it almost felt as though Saria did not want to talk to me. Oddly enough, Jess picked up on it as well and told me so from the hem of my cap.<p>

"I think there might be something wrong with Saria."

"Yeah… I think so too, but what could it be?"

Jess smiled menacingly, "Why don't you ask her?"

"Why should I?"

"Why should you what?" Saria asked from the tunnel entrance. While Jess and I were speaking, I did not realize that I had stopped walking; this drew Saria's attention.

"Nothing… just thinking out loud."

She smiled and gestured at the forest, "Whatever, there are only two houses available… they're rather small so I don't know if you'll be all that comfortable."

Off in the distance I spotted that tree house from earlier. It still looked as scruffy as an old wolf, but it still held a welcoming quality to it.

"What about that house there?" I pointed to the house in question and Saria frowned.

"Well… that house is something of a memorial here. It used to be Link's house."

Well that was unexpected. But that might explain why I was so drawn to it.

"So it's not open?"

"I guess it would be okay, but it needs some cleaning… the last resident hasn't had time to clean up in the past four hundred years."

It took a couple of minutes; but we made our way to it and stood at the base of the ladder.

"I used to visit this place every day after Link left… The last time I visited was just after the last Hero appeared." The Kokiri hung her head as if ashamed by this revelation.  
>How long ago was that I wonder?<p>

"How long ago was that?" I was mainly asking to pull her out of this mini-depression she had entered.

"About three hundred years ago I think… All I can really remember about the last hero was… His name was Link I think."

Great. That sounded suspicious… My name is Link; the Hero she talks about was named Link now there's this other Hero named Link.

Is this ever going to end?

"Shall we go in?"

Saria smiled and gripped the mossy ladder, "Sure, just remember to watch your step. This place is incredibly old."

The trip up the ladder was less than eventful (minus the moment when my grip slipped and I landed on my head twenty feet below.), the red curtain that hung in the doorway was not as moth-eaten as I had imagined. It actually looked as though someone had recently hung it.

"I asked Fado and Mimi to keep it clean, but it looks like they didn't keep their promise."

"Ah, I guess I could clean up some if it really needs it."

"Trust me, it needs it." Reaching up and pulling the curtain aside, she ushered me in.  
>By God she was right. This place was nothing but a dump. A single window in the back of the room allowed some of the moonlight into the miniscule dwelling. Every available surface was buried beneath <em>inches<em> of dust, the bed that sat below the window was equally affected, it's red quilt faded by hundreds of years of sunlight it had been exposed to.  
>By the look on her face, Saria was not expecting the environment to be so… filthy.<p>

"Yup… they broke their promise." The Kokiri snorted and pulled a large green leaf from a pouch on her belt. She smiled and waved the leaf in the direction of the bed, a large swirling orb of air sailed across the room cleaning the dust from the area, "That should do it."

"What is that thing?" I asked pointing to the leaf.

"Deku Leaf, The Great Deku Tree gave it to me several years ago; he said it would help me with certain things."

"I see." My gaze swept the room (Pardon the pun folks.); every speck of dust had been lifted and carted out the open window by that gust of air.  
>As a side-effect, the room seemed slightly brighter… that caused me to notice the walls, or rather what was <em>on <em>the walls.

Hundreds of letters were tacked onto the wall, some were written in strange runes I did not recognize, some were written in ancient Hylian… One letter written in bright golden ink caught my eye. I leaned closer to get a better look; this is what I could read of it:

_Dearest Link._

_I hope this letter finds you well, it has been many years since you last came to visit the Castle, normally I would not pry into other's personal affairs; but I must ask… Are you well? I would be lying if I said that I was not worried.  
>If it pleases you I would like you to come to the Castle at your earliest convenience.<em>

_Yours, Zelda._

Wow… guess the stories were true, Link really did know Princess Zelda personally.  
>I guess Saria noticed me reading, she spoke as I finished.<p>

"That came for Link three years after he left for Termina. I sent Zelda a letter in return explaining the situation… she wasn't happy either. I heard rumors among the other sages that the Queen had fallen in love with him, but I never found any evidence to support it."

I turned back to see her sitting on the bed, a distant look in her green eyes. She continued to stare into the distance for several moments before she stood and adjusted the blanket and pillow.

"If you're comfortable here, you are more than welcome to stay here…" She added with a chuckle, "I'm sure Link won't mind."

I laughed with her for a moment then explained that I was feeling a little tired. Saria nodded and reminded me that if I needed anything all I had to do was ask, and she left.

I spent a few moments staring after her, the curtain fluttered slightly as a chill night-breeze swept across the landing outside. My thoughts raced and flared with thousands of questions and ideas. Theories and myths of my situation proceeded across my thoughts… some worth a second or two, some not even worth the wasted energy I used to conceive them.

One that sounded especially absurd flared up. That Hero that Saria had mentioned… the last Hero… was that… could it possibly have been me? The time seemed appropriate. Three hundred years ago? I wasted a few more moments on it and cast it aside, no point thinking about something I'll never know.  
>Then my thoughts focused on the fact that I was in the Hero's own house.<br>The same hero I had seen depicted on the ceiling of the Royal Library.

Several of the letters that hung on the wall spoke of something… strange. No matter how hard I tried to memorize their contents I always seemed to forget what they said.  
>One of them appeared to be a page ripped from a book. The image of a boy garbed in green and holding a sword aloft had been drawn upon it… it looked something like a religious image from a church; the boy wore a tunic that was similar to the one I now wore. His eyes gazed skyward, locked upon three golden triangles that emitted a dazzling glow, his hand wrapped around the hilt of the sword blazed with a similar light; the triangles etched into the flesh of that hand.<p>

Jess stood up from my shoulder and floated over to the image, "This is obviously an icon that depicts the Hero of Time. Surprising isn't it? You have the same sword he's holding."  
>I nodded numbly; it always caught me off guard when I saw images of the Hero… only to suddenly remember I'm now the very same thing these pictures and carvings depict.<p>

"You need to get some sleep Link, remember, The Great Deku Tree wants to see you in the morning."

Once again I nodded and turned to the bed. It looked a little small, but I suppose I could manage.

Unbuckling the belt that held the Master Sword and my shield to my back, I propped them against the wall at the foot of the bed. Jess located a lantern that hung above the window, she explained that the Kokiri were each assigned a guardian fairy by the Deku Tree, and so each Kokiri house was fitted with a place for that fairy to sleep.  
>I wanted to make a joke about her sleeping in a lantern, but I wisely restrained myself. No need to have a midget angry with me. (Don't tell her I said that.)<p>

I stretched out on the bed, which wasn't as small as I had thought, (but came dangerously close), and stared at the ceiling; tracing the rings in the wood with my eyes until I felt my eyelids become too heavy for me to lift.  
>The darkness took me with relative ease.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Zelda… Zelda… You need to search for him. He needs you more than you know.<em>  
>The voice echoed in the hollow darkness that surrounded her. She would've been frightened if not for the strong feeling of solitude that wrapped her like a heavy wool blanket.<p>

_He waits for you… he is not beyond your reach… Go to the Temple of Light… the Silent One will help you._

She woke and sat upright. This was not a new thing for her, these strange dreams started a little over three months ago, just when she had begun to lose all hope of seeing Link again.  
>Vesanus never let her out of the Castle… obviously there was a reason for that. Maybe he thought the longer he kept her prisoner, the less energy he might have to waste persuading her to become his queen. Lucky thing she was born with such a strong will or she might've given in a year ago. The dreams had given her a little extra strength to keep fighting the Gerudo's manipulation.<br>But this dream… this dream was unlike the others. Before, the voice had only whispered broken words and splintered sentences, over time these slowly grew into partial thoughts that seemed vaguely coherent. But now… now there was something behind these thoughts. Now she had a chance to act.

It was only a few minutes past two in the morning, but she felt totally rested. She stood and glanced at the dark sky through the window, Vesanus was probably in his bed by now… on occasion she had noticed his obsession with a certain section of the Library. He never let her in on his thoughts though, so she had no idea why he spent most of his nights pouring over book after book. But now looked like as good a chance as any to see what this voice in her dreams meant.

Keeping her movements as silent as possible, she donned a long grey cloak and made her way down the tower steps. If her suspicions were right, the guards that normally kept an endless silent vigil at the tower entrance should've gone to their quarters to rest. As she reached the wrought iron door she smiled to find that she was right. Both men were not at their posts.  
>Still keeping as much stealth as she could, she gripped the thick iron ring and turned it to the left, wincing when it shrieked slightly. Thankfully the hinges were well-oiled, the door swung open with ease. She glanced to the left and right down both corridors, then ran silently down the left corridor.<br>Wracking her brain as she ran, she tried to remember where the Temple of Light was. Most of her studies had been centered around the land itself, where the provinces were, what they were called, what the villages in each one were named… it was not very often she was given the opportunity to study the Hero's Legends. Several of those described locations that only the Hero could find and enter successfully, and if she remembered correctly, The Temple of Light was one such place.  
>Then it hit her. The Temple of Light was not a location in this world… The Hero's Legend spoke of the Temple of Time being a doorway between two different worlds, namely the Sacred Realm and The Realm of Hyrule. The Temple of Light was situated in the Sacred Realm, or more specifically the <em>center<em> of the Sacred Realm.  
>She had to reach the Temple of Time. Her life and possibly Link's depended on it.<p>

She froze when a shadow passed across the opening of a corridor to the right. No one was supposed to be awake at this ungodly hour! A gruff voice grunted something about food, and then another retorted, "Food? All you do is eat Kilo! If I ate half as much as you, I'd be dead!" The other grumbled again, the sound of crockery shattering against stone echoed down the corridor.  
>"You blithering idiot! Do you know how much that mug cost me?"<p>

"I don't care! You always have something smart to say, kind of funny considering how stupid you are, you blundering buffoon!"

The two voices were then drowned out by the sounds of armor and swords clashing together. Vesanus always seemed to hire the dumbest thick-headed morons to serve as mercenaries. She silently thanked Farore for this turn of events and keeping her steps light, she used the fight to slip past the mess hall and further down the corridor. The Castle's Supply Gate was only a few corridors away, that gate was easily the least guarded. Hardly anyone besides merchants and guards used it anymore, and it would the quickest way out of the Castle and into Castleton beyond.

Several heart-clenching moments later, the Supply Gate came into view. The absence of torchlight assured her that no one was around to observe her escape. The Gate stood at the other end of a stone avenue that ran between two guard towers, the towers in turn afforded a clear view of the lane below; this lessened the chance of intruders penetrating the Castle's defenses. Her only problem was the color of the sky. In the time that passed since she had woken and made her way to this point, sunrise had steadily drawn closer; and if she knew Vesanus, it would only be a matter of time until he noticed her missing if he did not know already. She had precious little time to make it into town and to the Temple of Time.

Zelda shivered slightly and drew the cloak closer about her, the chill early morning air adding to her anxiety. Taking care to keep the sounds of her footsteps to a minimum, Zelda walked at a brisk pace down the lane, her eyes fixed on the turrets for any sign of movement… nothing… at least for now.

The tall wooden gate stood sealed shut, as it always was after nightfall. The only way to open the gate was the two control gears that stood in each of the guard towers, she however, knew of a service door that had been installed at the base of the left tower. This service door led directly into the gearbox that operated the two halves of the gate; with a little skill she should be able to open the gate from there.  
>As she stared at the wooden barrier, a low grinding noise rose from the ground beneath her feet. The sound was unmistakable, steel gears clinked and groaned under the weight of the gate. Someone was opening the gate.<p>

Zelda pulled the cloak around her slender form and ducked into a small alcove along the wall. Holding her breath against discovery, the Princess stared at the gate as it swung outward, a voice cut the silence, "Come… we haven't much time." The subterranean gears ground to a halt, a lone figure stood in the gap beckoning to her.

"This is your only chance your majesty, I highly recommend you take it." A wide grin spread across the figure's vaguely familiar features.

* * *

><p><strong>Original POV<strong>

Link woke with a start. The entire night, dreams of all shapes and forms haunted his mind. As you might expect, he didn't manage to get much sleep.  
>The sun's light streamed through the window illuminating the bed; particles of dust swirling lazily through. Jess hovered above him, "Morning!" She beamed down at him.<br>Link groaned and stretched, "Good morning. How long have you been up?"

The fairy landed on his chest and folded her arms, "Just a few hours… w-what were you dreaming about?"

Ah. He'd been expecting that. All his tossing and turning couldn't have been missed by his guardian.  
>"I… I don't really remember." He lied.<p>

Jess' features hardened, "Are you sure?"

Wiping sweat from his forehead, Link nodded and rubbed his temples. Things were not going the way he had hoped since his arrival.

But that dream… what had it meant? Normally all memory of his dreams faded within moments of waking, but not this time the entire ordeal remained burned in his mind.

Darkness… deeper and darker than anything he'd ever seen had been pressing in around him as if threatening to crush him. Blood curdling laughter echoed in his mind, a demented chorus that nearly drove him insane.  
>A single black eye stared out from the gloom, its gaze felt as though it were trying to pierce his very being.<br>The longer he gazed into its inky depths, the less attached to the physical world he felt.  
>But just when he thought he might be ripped from existence, Zelda's lithe form materialized next to him. She smiled warmly at him and placed a hand upon his shoulder.<p>

"I'll always think of you… I'll always remember how special you are to me."

The words did not sound like something he would say… but his own lips had formed them. His own mind laid bare to the woman who was both his distant cousin and Queen-in-waiting.  
>But she did not laugh like he had expected. She had not criticized him for saying something so very foolish… she simply whispered back.<p>

"I love you."

That was when he awoke.

The more he thought, the less he felt certain he would ever see Zelda again.

Jess loudly cleared her throat, "Um… Link?"

"Yes?" He gazed at the diminutive creature, but didn't quite see her.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Link nodded absentmindedly and hauled himself to his feet. According to the light shining through his window, it was a little past mid-morning. At least he wasn't late for his meeting with the Deku Tree… yet.

"LINK!" Saria's voice bellowed up from outside, "ARE YOU UP YET?"

The Hylian shook his head feebly and strode to the curtain, "Yes I'm up Saria." His head thrust through the curtain, "What are you doing here anyway?"

The Kokiri girl smiled and lowered herself onto a stump, "I just thought you'd like to explore the village before you meet with the Great Deku Tree."

Link smiled and pulled his head back in, "Sure, just give me a few moments." He quickly retrieved his tunic and belt from the floor where he had thrown them the night before. It wouldn't do for him to explore the village without his shirt on. Turning to the bed where his sword and shield were propped, he reached out to pick them up then stopped. Did he even need them today? He was in the Kokiri Forest after all… it wasn't like he was going to see Vesanus today… right? Ah… better leave them anyway.  
>The Hylian turned and stepped outside. The wind bore the scent of wildflowers as it swept across the village, the sun shone down warming the earth. This place was a veritable paradise.<p>

"Well Link, are you going to just stand there all day admiring the village or are you going to come with me and explore it?" Saria smirked from her stump.

Link smiled back and leapt off the landing, "I do believe I shall join you." He rolled as he landed to lessen the impact. After brushing himself off, he gazed at the Kokiri.

"What?"

Saria shook her head as if ridding herself of a particularly annoying fly, "N-nothing… Come on, we can visit the Forest Shop first, I'm sure there's something you need."  
>Pointing to a squat house with a flat red roof toward the Deku Tree's Tunnel, Saria prompted him to follow.<p>

As the pair walked a girl of Saria's height with blond hair ran up and gazed at Link. Link frowned at the girl as she scrutinized him, "Yes?"  
>The girl blinked and smiled at him.<p>

"What's your name Mister?"

Link turned to Saria who smiled, "This is Mimi... she can be a little curious sometimes." Saria turned on Mimi and grinned wider, "Her curiosity gets her into trouble often."

Mimi stamped a foot, "Oh come on Saria! It's not like you're any better."

The Hylian knelt and smiled, "My name is Link... it's nice to meet you Mimi."

Mimi blushed as Link lightly grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. Manners seemed to get the better of him most of the time. Link gazed up at the girl's face, (mostly to see what kind of effect his manners had on her.) Mimi looked at a loss for words. She turned and dashed off toward a house in the northeastern side of the village.

Saria raised an eyebrow, "What was that about?"

"What?"

"Why did you kiss her hand?"

Link shrugged, smiling, "Manners."

Saria rolled her eyes, "You do realize that Kokiri Traditions are quite different from yours, don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"In Kokiri culture... if a boy kisses a girl's hand, it means that he wants to marry her... it's something like a marriage proposal."

Link deadpanned. A marriage proposal? How in... oh boy.

Saria began to chuckle loudly at his expression.

"What? I didn't know..."

"I-I'm sorry, it's just... the look on our face! I was kidding!"

**Link's POV**

As much as I would've liked to say something to her for tricking me, I didn't. She's only a little girl after all... even if she's got a few hundred years on me.

The shop's interior looked much the same as the house I'd slept in. The walls showed clear signs that they were carved from wood, the floor was made of shaped flat-rock. A short Kokiri boy stood behind the counter, upon seeing us he made a hopping motion as if to jump onto the counter.

"Hello there sir! What can I get you?" He continued to hop, but could never quite manage the height.

Saria chuckled and waived, "Calm down Sodo... we just came in to look around."

Sodo sighed and stopped jumping, "That's all anyone ever does when they come in here." His forlorn expression made me want to buy a deku nut just for the sake of it.

Gripping my arm Saria tugged me over to a shelf beside the counter.

"Do you have a bow?"

I shook my head, I didn't even know how to use one... much less own one.

She clicked her tongue and rummaged through a bin full of arrows, "Well... I think it's just about time you do." She straightened with a deku-wood bow and three arrows in her hand. Saria turned and thrust them into my hands.

Sodo stared wide-eyed at the items in my hands, "You're gonna buy all that?"

I nodded, not quite knowing for sure.

Saria chuckled and asked how much it was. Sodo nodded and said that it was sixty rupees. She reached into a small leather pouch on her belt and lifted a purple and two blue rupees from her wallet and handed them to the boy... who seemed strangely on the edge of a heart-attack.  
>She chuckled again and turned to me, "Ready?"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, no more excuses. I just did not feel like working on this story for a while. That's what happens when you're in college.<strong>

**Come on people! I only got 2 reviews for the last chapter! I know y'all can do better than that... unless I am sorely mistaken. But please let me know if I am still writing for readers who are on _this_ side of the afterlife. Being catatonic is not an excuse by the way. (I'm talking to _you_ uncle Dennis...)**

**Enjoy!**


	13. Into the Earth

**Here we come to another beginning... Just kidding, I need to work on my intros a little. OH! Good news folks, I managed to inspire myself today, aren't you proud of me? **

**As an author, I am pleased that there are those who find my work enjoyable. Even if my sense of humor is a little dry... blame that on Are You Being Served and Benny Hill.**

**Enjoy! I IMPLORE!**

* * *

><p>I followed Saria outside with the bow in my hands, she led with a strong sense of purpose evident in the way she carried herself.<p>

I slung the quiver over my shoulder and fastened it to my sword baldric, no sense in carrying what could be hung.

Saria led me to a small clearing with several wooden targets standing at ten foot intervals from ten to three-hundred.

"This is where I usually go to practice with my slingshot, but for all intents and purposes you can use it to practice the bow." She pointed to the sixty foot target, "See if you can hit that one there."

Drawing a deep breath I lifted the bow and leveled an arrow at the center of the target. Just as I was about to release I heard Saria chuckling.  
>I eyed her and growled, "What's so funny?"<p>

She pointed at my elbow, "Your draw arm is too high, if you're planning to hit that target you'd better lower it and point the arrow head above your target." Saria folded her arms and stood there with a smirk on her face.

I rolled my eyes and directed my attention back to the target. The muscles in my hand relaxed, the string raced forward to drive the razor-tipped projectile through the air. It sailed high in a smooth graceful arc... and buried itself deeply in the soil several hundred yards behind the target.

BLAST! This infernal contraption is useless!

My attention snapped back to the Kokiri who was now laying on the ground laughing.

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?" I roared.

Saria stopped laughing for a second and latched her green eyes on my face. Then she burst out in fresh glee.

"You... su.. you are... you need..." Each unfinished sentence rose in volume with each futile gasp for air.

I snorted in derision and threw the bow onto the ground to stomp off toward a boulder that sat on the edge of the range.

A low growl rose out of the ground as if a dragon were chained below it, this cut Saria's snorts and chuckles short. She jumped up and paled.

"That's the Great Deku Tree!" She raced over to me and seized my wrist, "COME ON!"

She raced to the tunnel while dragging a fully-grown hylian behind her.

* * *

><p><strong>Three Hundred Years Earlier<strong>

The figure stood just a head taller than Zelda wrapped in a tattered forest green cloak. A white cap made of tightly wound bandages obscured most of his face, the voice was unmistakably male, a single piercing green eye glared out from under a hanging bandage.

He beckoned more fiercely, "Come! Now! We haven't much time."

Zelda glanced back at the Tower she had spent the last seventeen months in, and ran through the gate.

She glanced back at the figure who made a short gesture at the gates causing them to swing closed as silent as the night-wind. He turned and dove after her keeping his body close to the ground to avoid being spotted.

As they ran through the forest that surrounded the Castle, she noticed a sheathed sword bouncing on the man's back as he ran. It's iridescent violet-blue hilt was nearly impossible to mistake. It was the Master Sword.

She slowed to a halt catching the figure's attention.

"What are you doing? We have to make it to the Temple of Time before daybreak!" He demanded angrily.

Zelda gestured at the sword while trying to make her throat produce sound.

The figure glanced at the sword and smiled, "I know, but unfortunately I cannot explain at the present time, but I can assure you that your questions will receive answers just as soon as we arrive at our destination." He turned and beckoned for her to follow.

* * *

><p>The Deku Tree towered over us in a darkly imposing way, annoyance was clearly discernible in his eyes.<p>

"Where have you two been? I told you that I wished to speak to you before midday, did I not?"

Saria nodded and curtsied, "I apologize Great One, but I was teaching Link how to wield a bow." I heard her mumble, "Or at least trying to." She snorted and stopped when the Tree spoke again.

"Ah well... I suppose it matters not. Link... remember those creatures I showed you yesterday, the Shadii?"

I nodded, "How could I forget?"

A wave of greenish light raced down the Deku Tree's trunk and into the ground. The ground in front of the tree shifted violently and collapsed into a stairway that ran directly below the massive tree's roots.

"This tunnel... leads into my core, the only being who has ever entered this place, was your predecessor... Enter brave one... within you shall find an object called the Okirion. Bring it to me and I shall explain its purpose."

I glanced at Saria who smiled back and coaxed me on. Turning my gaze back to the dark stairwell, I felt a blast of cool air against my face that carried the stench of stale air and damp earth. Whatever was down there was certainly not pleasant.

My first tentative step onto the roughly hewn stone steps brought a low grinding growl from the dark depths below, causing my hand to instinctively grip the Master Sword's hilt. I stopped myself and glared down at the stair's base. Why was I acting like a kid getting ready to search his closet in the middle of the night for monsters? If experience was anything to go by, I hardly had a reason to be scared now did I? I drew a deep breath and dove downward.

The temperature dropped by several degrees with each inch into the earth. By the time I finally reached the stairway's bottom I could see my breath. The walls curved upward into a classic tunnel shape and was dimly lit by fires in brass braziers that hung from the arched roof. I drew my sword and moved down the tunnel.

Up ahead the tunnel narrowed to the point that I had to turn sideways to squeeze through. The 'squeeze' opened up into a domed room with a large brass bowl sitting on a stone pedestal. I re-sheathed the Master Sword and moved closer.

The bowl was filled with a liquid that looked like water, but shined like silver. As I neared the bowl's edge, I noticed that my footsteps were echoing louder and louder. The sound grew to the point that the whole room seemed to be vibrating, the liquid was now tossing and churning like the open ocean.

Jess poked her head out from under my hat and screeched, "WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!"

I shouted back, "I DON'T KNOW!"

The sound suddenly died. I glanced around at the bowl, the liquid had stopped rolling but was now spinning like a whirlpool. A small stone canister sat in the center, carvings in ancient hylian wound around it in spiraling patterns. I figured that this was something I needed so I reached out and lifted it from the watery liquid.

Instantly the stone grew warm and began humming. I noticed a small brass lock on one end and stuffed it into my pack. This definitely warranted some closer examination.


	14. To The Temple

**Well now, I suppose now would be the perfect time to use the classic cliche 'it's good to be back', but for the sake of variety I will not. Perhaps now I can actually get some work done instead of daydreaming of what I would put in the story if I managed to open this site again. One good thing has come out of my absence, I am full to the point of bursting with ideas! Sorry the last chapter cut off at such a weird angle but I wanted to post something as soon as possible. Now we continue.  
><strong>

**Link: "I was beginning to think you had given up!"**

**Me: "As if my elven friend. It will take more than a simple loss of internet connection to keep me down!"**  
><strong><br>Link: "Looks like it was pretty successful to me..."**  
><strong><br>Me: "How would you like to be wielding a rubber chicken instead of the Master Sword?"**  
><strong><br>Link: "Umm... no thanks?"**  
><strong><br>ONWARD TO THE STORY!**

* * *

><p>After the tremors had finally ceased, Jess materialized on my shoulder to gaze at the dimly lit room, "That was odd... did we cause the Great Deku Tree discomfort?"<p>

I shook my head, "I don't know, but it was strange nonetheless."

A mischievous glint in Jess' eye told me what was coming, "You know... I think we did cause him some discomfort, after all anything that had the misfortune to eat you would be suffering indigestion for weeks."

Rolling my eyes I retorted, "I wouldn't be so sure my diminutive friend, anything with a sense of humor like yours would definitely be a more dangerous snack. I seem to remember that Wolfos especially hate the taste of 'Stupidity'."

She clenched her fists and growled, "Watch yourself Hylian... just because I'm your guardian does not give you the right to criticize me every chance you get."

"The feeling is mutual." I snorted, but that snort turned to a yelp when she grabbed my cheek and pinched with all her might.

"SHUT UP!"

I gave my shoulder a shake to dislodge her and began rubbing my cheek, "What in the name of Din's Fire was that for?"

"You know darn good and well what that was for! Now get your green-clad butt moving! We have the Okirion now let's be on our way." She added in a whisper to herself, "I don't like this place..."

"Very well, but what makes you think this is the Okirion?"

She pointed to a small line of runes scratched on the lock, "That is Rebellion Era Hylian, it says 'Herein lies the Okirion, construct of time.' plain as day."

I glanced at said runes and tried to read them, "I can't read ancient hylian Jess, you know that I am not from the Rebellion Era."

"Well whatever, let's go anyway.", Jess returned to her hiding place under my hat with a small 'hmph'.

* * *

><p><strong>300 Years Earlier<strong>

With the morning sun just beginning to pierce the treetops, the Stranger told Zelda to rest, "We've been travelling for the past hour... the Temple should be only a little further."

"Good." She huffed, "But...?"

"I assume you are wondering many things about me, as is only natural, but as I said earlier your questions will be answered once we arrive at the Temple." His green eyes smiled at her as he finished.

"I understand... but what is your name?"

He hesitated slightly, but continued after a few seconds, "You may call me Sicarius... that is the name I hold among the Sheikah people." He added solemnly.

"So you are Sheikah? I thought there were only those who served the Royal Family left."

"That's the rumor, while a select few served the Royal Family directly, there were still a great many who kept to our secrets and traditions... as it should be." Sicarius gripped the leather strap that held the sword on his back, "I am certain that the fact that this blade is in my possession has given you a few ideas as to my identity? I can assure you however that I am not your Link, as to how I came across this sword, it's a secret to everyone besides a very close friend of mine."

"A secret? The Master Sword chooses who carries it, I highly doubt someone like you would just happen to come across it lying in a shady glen somewhere. I think it's more likely that you've met it's previous owner." Zelda grinned triumphantly as if she had just won the debate.

But Sicarius returned, "True, the Master Sword is capable of choosing it's handler, but you failed to remember the rules of that choice: 'Only he who possesses the strength of heart and the resolve of mind worthy of the Hero of Time may lay claim to the Master Sword... but be warned, ye who would strive to claim the blade must prove your worth or be cast into the eternal darkness that awaits all with evil in their hearts." An imperious expression filled his eyes as he finished.

"I see you know much about Hylian lore Mr. Sicarius... but that does not explain how you came across the sacred blade."

Sicarius smiled and turned, "Once again dear princess, everything in good time. Now I think we should be moving, it is already an hour after sunrise and I imagine that Vesanus has already noticed your absence." Crouching as if readying for a spring, he leapt from the ground and landed in a tree, "Hyrule Castleton lies less than a quarter mile from here to the south. If we hurry we should be able to slip into the Temple without notice of the guards... but our chance will be slim, so I say again we should be off."

Zelda nodded and lifted herself from the stone she had been sitting on. Casting a glance over her shoulder at the Castle's towers shimmering in the distance, she silently prayed that her disappearance had as of yet gone unnoticed.

While the sun climbed ever higher into the sky, Zelda and Sicarius drew closer to Castleton's outer wall. Thankfully Vesanus had not seen any reason to post patrols during the day, the simple fear of him would be more than enough to deter any would-be invaders. But at hundred yard intervals several guard towers stood imposingly over the relatively quiet town below.

Sicarius placed a hand on the smooth white marble and smirked, "There should be a service tunnel somewhere around here... if we can find it, that will afford us a quick and easy route into the City."

"And if we can't?"

"Then our day will have become that much harder." He added with a grin.

Both froze at the sound of voices above them. Sicarius glanced upwards, two guards were walking along the ramparts deep in conversation.

Sicaruis frowned, "That's no good... I did not see them coming."

"Maybe we should hide?" Zelda asked anxiously.

"No need, they don't know we're here and they're distracted. We're safe for now."

He had spoken too soon, for Zelda took a step backwards and caught the heel of her boot under a root sending her toppling backwards with a yelp.  
>Sicarius froze and glued his eyes to the ramparts.<p>

A helmeted head appeared over a railing. The man let out a shout and dove toward a ladder a few feet away.

"No good! Get up, we're going to have to defend ourselves!" Sicarius clenched his fists and lowered his head with a fierce look in his green eyes, a thin blue mist flowed from his fists.

Zelda pushed herself to her feet and pulled a dagger from a sheath on her ankle.

The first guard scrambled down the ladder and charged with his sword held high. Just as Zelda tensed in preparation to swing the dagger at the assailant's leg, a bright flash of blue light sent the guard tumbling backwards into a culvert.  
>Sicaruis roared, "MOVE! I'LL TAKE CARE OF THEM!" He spun on his heels and cast another spell as the second guard landed on the ground, this blast struck the guard square in the chest causing him to collapse like an empty paper bag.<br>Staring around wildly for an escape Zelda sprinted for the ladder the guards had descended, with Sicarius following close behind.  
>Another guard bent over the ladder with a crossbow in his grasp, but before he could pull the trigger Sicarius threw a short black kunai and buried it in the man's chest just above his left lung. He fell with a shout and moved no more.<p>

The fear of discovery by more soldiers grew heavy by the time they had made it halfway up the ladder, Zelda had grown so frightened by the prospect that she failed to notice the spot of blood on the next rung above. As her hand closed around the bar, her grip slipped. In her surprise, she released the ladder.

Sicarius stretched out a hand and grasped her ankle as she fell.

"What are you doing?" She shouted up at him indignantly.

"Trying to keep you alive!" He shouted back, a blush crept across his cheeks when he noticed that her dress

Zelda tilted her head forward and pushed the skirt of her dress out of her eyes, "As grateful as I am for the rescue, would you mind putting me back on the ladder?"

A smile danced across his face, "Certainly." Making sure to keep his grip, he swung her closer to the ladder. After a few more moments of scrambling up the iron ladder, they made their way to the top of the ramparts.

Castleton lay below, sprawled out below was the marketplace. Several couriers and merchants went briskly about their business carting bulging burlap bags of grain, or pulling horses harnessed to wagons down the wide main thoroughfare.

Zelda pointed to a tall black marble structure that rose above the town. The impressively polished surfaces of the cathedral rose to almost the same height of the Castle itself, "There is the Temple... hopefully we can make it there without much trouble."

"Or better yet, none at all. Come, we haven't much time."

The air around them suddenly grew hot, "Actually I'd say that you have no time at all."

A tongue of white flame curled around Sicarius' ankle and turned into a thick chain. Zelda whirled around holding a small dagger at the newcomer. But she froze at the sight of an old friend.

"Marius?" She gasped.

A tall Goron in a red robe stood with his hand outstretched towards Sicarius, the chain wrapped around his wrist.  
>"Zelda?" Marius frowned, "What are you doing here? If Vesanus finds out... What are you doing with this brigand?" he gestured at the Shiekah.<p>

"He's helping me." She responded hesitantly. To be entirely honest, she wasn't sure what Sicarius wanted with her.

"I'll have you know this man is not a Sheikah!" Marius' fiery gaze bored into the man's heavily cloaked face, "Impa and I have been looking for this scoundrel for months!"

Zelda cast a questioning glance at what she thought was her guide, "Why would you be looking for him?"

Sicarius cleared his throat and pointed over his shoulder, "I believe I told you that the circumstances of my aquisition of this sword was a... secret? In all actuality, I did not really steal it... I just happened to be passing through a certain part of the Lost Woods when I noticed the blade buried deeply in an ancient tree stump."

Marius' frown deepened, "That's the very same story he gave Impa and I, but I highly doubt that he has revealed everything concerning his discovery."

"Your assumption is correct." Sicarius nodded, "But if you will allow me to complete my original task, I will explain everything you wish to know when Her Ladyship is safely within the walls of the temple... my tale will have little consiquence if the Princess is not there to hear it."

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><p>Link and Jess appeared out of the earthen stairway with identical looks of disgust on their faces. By the look of them Saria assumed that they had been fighting. Her assumption was proven correct when Jess shouted,<p>

"Did you really have to do that in a confined space? That was disgusting!"

"It's not like I had much of a choice! These things just happen..." He retorted hotly.

Saria chuckled loudly and asked, "What are you two fighting about now?"

Jess' usual blue glow turned to a dark purple, "Why don't you ask mister 'full-of-hot-air', and see what kind of answer you get! I will never go into a cave or enclosed space like that with him again!"

"Come off it Jess! It was just a little f-..."

"I assume that thou hast retrieved the Okirion?" Boomed the towering tree behind them.

Link turned and held up the cylinder, "Yep, here it is."

"Good, thou hast done well Link... now as promised, I shall reveal to thee what it is for." One of the Deku Tree's branches bent downward with a groan snapped the lock like a wet twig.  
>All at once the top of the bronze container burst open as if pressurized. A small ring of green metal levitated out of the cylinder and hung in the air in front of Link's nose.<p>

"This ring is the ancient artifact known as the Okirion... By sight alone thou must be able to see that it posesses great magic... place it upon thy right hand."

Hesitating as if afraid of the ring, Link extended his hand and slipped his right ring-finger through the band.

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><p><strong>Well... there's the next chapter. Sorry there wasn't much action in this one, I would also like to apologize for the wait. I've been rather lazy lately.<strong>


	15. Naming the Unkown

**Okay, so after an unbelievably long hiatus and no small amount of frustration and such, I have returned. Here is the next chapter.**

**My last computer crashed and I've been scrambling ever since then to find one just like it. ALL of my files and the copies of the chapters that I had finished for this story went kaput.**

**So without further ado I give you Chapter fifteen!**

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><p>All at once the Okirion tightened on his finger like the jaws of a hungry dog, green sparks of magic sprayed on everyone present. This included Jess, whose blue aura turned a bright shade of green.<p>

The world around them twisted and rippled like a piece of parchment in the wind.

"Thou must use the utmost care with this item Link." Boomed the Deku Tree, "It's power has bent the world only once before, this was before the beginning of this Kingdom."

Link's wide eyes turned up to the Deku Tree's in wonder.

The Okirion sprayed the ground with a hailstorm of sparks causing the grass and flowers around them to grow vigorously.

"The Okirion was created by Farorae to aid her in the creation of all life on this planet, It no longer holds the power of creation; but it still remembers the touch of the Goddess."

Saria stared at the small ring with the same amazement and curiosity of a toddler, "How have you kept this thing hidden for so long?"

The Deku Tree smiled and caressed her face lightly with a vine, "Oh my child… I created thee with high purpose in mind, but of all of my children; I hold thee in the highest esteem." The light in it's eyes hardened, "The Goddess asked me to keep it hidden since it could not be destroyed. Everything created with Divine Power cannot be unmade… not even with Divine Power."

"Then why would you give it to me?! Its obviously dangerous beyond measure." Link began to furiously tug at it.

"Though it is indeed dangerous, it will grant thee an unprecedented amount of power in the coming days… You must seek out three other such items. They too were forged by the powers of the Gods."  
>The Deku Tree then bent it's trunk to get closer to Link, "I urge you… Do Not Use it unless it is absolutely necessary. This thing is powerful to the point of warping reality. To use it would weaken our world, more so yourself."<p>

Link held up his hand causing the Okirion to catch the afternoon sunlight, the Okirion's surface rippled like water and a gigantic vine sprouted out of the earth at Link's feet and grew into the air as straight and strong as a hundred-year oak. Link dropped his hand in amazement and shook his hand because the Okirion burned his finger.

The Deku Tree chuckled, "If thou aren't careful, the Okirion will cause all manner of plants and animals to be wrought into existence."

"How exactly is this… thing, going to help him?" Jess asked.

"The Power of the Gods is indeed most powerful, more so in the presence of things not of their making. The Shadii and all other beasts created by Vesanus will not be able to withstand the awesome power the Okirion possesses." Another of the Deku Three's vines gently wrapped around Link and hoisted him into the air, the Tree's eyes locked on Link in a menacing way, "Link… I know that thou has been afflicted with a plague most foul. The Master Sword's divine powers have contained the worst of the curse, but you have not gone Unchanged."

Link frowned, "How do you know if it?"

"Your eyes are evidence enough of the darkness within you." A smaller vine curled under the Hylian's chin and angled his face upward slightly, "Those gray eyes result from the blending of Dark magic and the Power of the Gods… This curse… The Eyes of Darkness was created long ago."  
>The Deku Tree's gaze looked beyond Link to the horizon behind him, "When I was a young sapling… Farorae charged me with the protection of all that is green and growing, but she warned me of what her Brother might do to get a foothold in this world."<p>

Before Link's eyes visions bloomed like water lilies from under a vast lake. A woman with golden skin and flowing emerald hair stood before a slim gray-barked tree, her face showed something like… fear.

"Our Brother will not rest until he has unmade all we have labored to create… You and the other guardians must stay vigilant as long as you may live to stop him at all costs." She extended her hand and blew lightly. A warm breeze stirred the grass and the leaves of the trees and curled lovingly around the sapling.

"What measures must I take Mistress?" Asked the tree.

"Your powers will never be sufficient enough to vanquish his evil, but within the forests of this world you will reign as the Spirit of the Woods." She pulled the Okirion from her finger and placed it on the ground before the tree's roots, "Use this… From this you will draw power enough to protect and create."

The Tree's roots wrapped around the Okirion and pulled it into the soil.

"The Forests… All of the Life I created… you must protect it for me in my stead. I know the my Brother will target you first." A single tear rolled down her cheek, "Use that ring well Young Deku Tree, grow strong and tall… You must be strong for when he arrives among men."

Link sensed a powerful destructive force in her words. In his mind images of whole forests and valleys engulfed in black flames assaulted him.

The tear dropped from her cheek and struck a bear patch of soil where it crystallized into a beautiful emerald.

The vision faded and Link blinked at the Tree, "Who is this Brother she kept mentioning?"

The Deku Tree blinked and refocused on him, "He is the greatest among the Gods of Hyrule… just before the creation of the world he began quarelling with his sisters Din, Nayru and Farorae about creating a world for their Mother Hylia as a present.  
>He wanted to make a dark and twisted world filled with darkness and evil to entertain and make her proud of her eldest child… They wanted a world filled with Light and beauty to amaze and honor her.<p>

As they argued and fought over the Earth's creation, the three sisters combined their efforts and sealed him in a dimension far from the Realm of the Gods. Locked away in this demonic place, Nyros went mad over the eons. Eventually he devolved from his Godly form to that of the Demon King Demise. He roared and shouted that if he ever escaped… he would rend the Realm of the Gods from the Heavens."

"What happened to him? Is he still sealed?"

"I do not know Child..."

Three Hundred Years in the Past

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><p>Sicarius sighed in frustration as yet another guard entered the courtyard, "It seems my Lady that Vesanus does indeed know of your escape… I can't say I'm surprised, although he is named for a mental illness he shows an amazing amount of cunning… especially for a gerudo."<p>

"Watch your tongue boy, although he betrayed us you have not the authority nor the capacity to criticize a Sage." Marius growled, his eyes glowing with a sudden flame.

Three of the guards marched to the entrance of a small shop and ripped the door from it's hinges, the shop owner was then dragged outside and thrown into a pile of straw, "WHERE IS THE PRINCESS?!" The tallest one roared at the cowering man.

"I don't know! No one has seen her in a year!"

Zelda's gaze fixed on the monolithic stone doors of the Temple of Time which stood only thirty yards to her left. She could possibly make it if she bolted… but the movement would doubtlessly be detected by the thirty-plus guards roaming the courtyard. Another problem was the fact that the doors required no small amount of strength to open them.

"Do you know of any other way we could possibly get into the temple undetected?" She asked the Sheikah.

"Not from this side. The only other entrance would be around the back." He gestured to the southeastern corner, "It is protected by a spell that keeps all but the Sages and those of the Royal Family."

"Sounds perfect." She mused.

"Just one problem."

"What's that?"

"The Temple was proclaimed off-limits to anyone not bearing authorization from Vesanus himself."

She drooped. "It figures, the Temple is probably nigh impregnable without the powers of a Sage."  
>As she said this<p>

Marius cleared his throat loudly, "Allow me." He gestured at once guard who walked too close to the doors of the Temple, instantly the guard's left boot and tunic caught fire.

Te guard in question roared in surprise and pain, then proceeded to swing his pike knocking his comrades down as they tried to help him.  
>Finally another pikeman used the aft end of his pike like a club and knocked the flaming mercenary into the Square's central fountain. The other guards broke out into loud giggles as the flame-broiled guard hauled himself out of the fountain.<p>

Zelda turned to Marius with a grin.

Sicarius snorted and darted toward the temple while the guards were distracted with their half-drowned half-charred companion, "I could have done that with an incendiary dart…" he mumbled.

"And why didn't you?" Asked Zelda as they reached the dimly lit alley next to the Temple's impressive Southern atrium.

"Marius seemed to have the situation in hand."

The Goron sage smirked and placed his palm on a large bronze plate laid into the Temple wall, "Impa and the other remaining Sages await us in the Grand Hall." He turned his eyes on Sicarius, "You would do well to hold your tongue until Impa has finished talking, she does not take well to interruptions."

"That's something I know all too well." He smiled to himself and strode through the widening gap.

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><p><strong>So... how was that? I'm a little rusty after all that time. This is only the first of many chapters to come, I promise you that.<strong>


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